The Minister for Home Affairs has announced changes and concessions relating to Skilled visa holders to allow them to stay in Australia and continue working in businesses facing critical shortages, particularly in health, hospitality, and the regions. The Minister also announced concessions for visitor visas holders and concessions for Temporary Graduate visa holders to ensure Australia remains a priority destination for international students.
Skilled Visa Holders
- Extension of Skilled Regional (provisional) visa (subclass 489, 491 and 494)
- Improved permanent residency pathway for existing SC 482 visa holders in the short term stream and legacy SC 457 holders who can no longer meet the age requirement
- Skilled Regional Provisional visa holders overseas can enter Australia from 1 December 2021 and will be eligible for a visa extension.
Visitor Visas
- Nil VAC for a further six months, for new visitor visa applicants offshore where their visa expired or will expire between 1 Jan 2022 and 30 June 2022.
Temporary Graduate Visas
- Temporary Graduate subclass 485 visa holders who have been unable to travel to Australia as a result of COVID-19 international border restrictions will be able to apply for a replacement visa.
- Increase in the length of stay for subclass 485 visa holders in Masters by Coursework and Vocation Educational and Training (VET) streams.
- Extension of existing measure for recognition of time spent offshore by students and temporary graduates studying online to be counted towards the requirement of qualifying for a Temporary Graduate subclass 482 visa.
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