Changing visa policies to support Australia's reopening and economic recovery

As Australia's economic recovery continues, the Morrison government is making it easier for highly skilled migrants to stay in the country and work in critical sectors.

These measures, according to Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs Alex Hawke, recognize the contribution of skilled migrants who stayed in Australia during the COVID-19 pandemic and encourage them to stay.

Minister Hawke stated, "Eligible skilled workers who are already in Australia will continue to support local businesses facing critical shortages, particularly in health, hospitality, and our regions."

"This acknowledges the economic value-add of these critical workers, and retaining them will help Australia's economic recovery greatly."

"The changes are in line with the Government's recent announcement that fully vaccinated eligible temporary and provisional visa holders will be able to enter Australia without a travel exemption beginning December 1, 2021," he said.

These visa changes will improve access to permanent residence for:

Existing Temporary Skill Shortage (subclass 482) visa holders in the short-term stream
Legacy Temporary Work Skilled (subclass 457) visa holders who no longer meet the age requirement.

The government has announced that approximately 20,000 skilled visa holders who stayed in Australia during the pandemic will be eligible for permanent residency, in an effort to address ongoing worker shortages.

Workers in the health and hospitality industries, who make up one-fifth of the potential pool of new permanent residents, will be the main beneficiaries of the temporary concession, which affects primary holders of the temporary skill shortage visa and holders of the now-discontinued 457 visa.

Previously, holders of temporary skill shortage visas in the "short-term" stream were limited to a two-year stay in Australia with no option for permanent residency.

Employers who are having trouble finding workers should benefit from the measure.

In recognition of the negative impact of COVID-19-related travel restrictions on this cohort, the government will also extend visas for skilled regional (provisional visa) holders (subclasses 489, 491, and 494).

"Current and expired skilled regional provisional visas will be extended, allowing more time to meet regional work requirements for permanent residence," Minister Hawke said.

Furthermore, around 9,000 skilled regional provisional visa holders are currently residing outside of the country. These visa holders will be able to enter Australia on December 1, 2021, and they will be eligible for a visa extension.

In recognition of ongoing border arrangements, the government will extend Visa Application Charge waivers for new Visitor visa applicants outside of the United States for another six months for visas that expired or will expire between January 1, 2022, and June 30, 2022.

“This measure will support the tourism industry by welcoming back visitors once it is safe to do so,” Minister Hawke said.

The government has announced additional measures to encourage international students and graduates to return home, bolstering the international education industry by:

Allowing holders of Temporary Graduate visas who have been unable to travel to Australia due to international border restrictions imposed by COVID-19 to apply for a replacement visa;
In the Masters by Coursework and Vocation Education and Training (VET) streams, increasing the length of stay on Temporary Graduate visas;
Simplifying the requirements for VET sector graduates applying for Temporary Graduate Visas; and
Extending the existing measure for students and temporary graduates to include time spent studying online while studying offshore when applying for a Temporary Graduate visa.

These changes will ensure that we continue to protect Australians' health while reuniting families and securing our economic recovery by opening our border to skilled and student visa holders, in line with the National Plan to safely reopen Australia.

Travel exemptions will not be necessary for holders of fully vaccinated visas to visit Australia as of 1st December 2021. Skilled and student visa holders, as well as humanitarian, working holidaymaker, and provisional family visa holders, are all eligible.

Travelers must comply with the following requirements under these arrangements:

Be fully vaccinated with a full dose of an Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration-approved or recognised vaccine (TGA)
Have a valid visa for one of the visa subclasses that are eligible.
They must show proof of their vaccination status.
Within three days of departure, present a negative COVID-19 Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test.

Quarantine requirements in the state or territory of arrival, as well as any other state or territory to which they plan to travel, must be followed.

Returning skilled workers and international students to Australia will help to solidify our economic recovery by providing the necessary workers and supporting our vital education sector.

In order to fill certain skill shortages, Australia needs qualified and experienced migrants from all over the world. Various paths to Australian residency are available, each of which is suitable for people from different backgrounds. Pace Migration & Education Consultancy specialises in assisting people who wish to find the right skilled visa for Australia. We use our expertise and experience to help make their dream come true.