AUSTRALIAN BORDERS OPEN TO INTERNATIONAL ELIGIBLE VISA HOLDERS
By admin
Great news for all international students and skilled migrants and eligible visa holders who have been waiting for 2 years to travel to Australia! Australia government has announced the long-awaited news that all eligible fully vaccinated international students, eligible visa holders who hold the subclasses listed below can now travel to Australia from the 1St of December 2021 without requiring to apply for a travel exemption.
In addition, Citizens from Japan and South Korea will be welcomed back to Australia from next week only if they are also fully vaccinated and have the required appropriate visa to enter Australia.
Eligible Subclasses which allow entry to Australia without exemption are: Subclass 200 – Refugee visa Subclass 201 – In-country Special Humanitarian visa Subclass 202 – Global Special Humanitarian visa Subclass 203 – Emergency Rescue visa Subclass 204 – Woman at Risk visa Subclass 300 – Prospective Marriage visa Subclass 400 – Temporary Work (Short Stay Specialist) visa Subclass 403 – Temporary Work (International Relations) visa (other streams, including Australian Agriculture Visa stream) Subclass 407 – Training visa Subclass 408 – Temporary Activity visa Subclass 417 – Working Holiday visa Subclass 449 – Humanitarian Stay (Temporary) visa Subclass 457 – Temporary Work (Skilled) visa Subclass 461 – New Zealand Citizen Family Relationship visa Subclass 462 – Work and Holiday visa Subclass 476 – Skilled – Recognised Graduate visa Subclass 482 – Temporary Skill Shortage visa Subclass 485 – Temporary Graduate visa Subclass 489 – Skilled – Regional (Provisional) visa Subclass 491 – Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa Subclass 494 – Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa Subclass 500 – Student visa Subclass 580 – Student Guardian visa (closed to new applicants) Subclass 590 – Student Guardian visa Subclass 785 – Temporary Protection visa Subclass 790 – Safe Haven Enterprise visa Subclass 870 – Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa Subclass 988 – Maritime Crew visa Although other visas such as visitor visa Subclass 600 are not on this initial list, the government are aiming to add additional subclasses soon. The key focus is placed on the subclasses above for fully vaccinated visa holders of which the government plans to increase the place to around 200,000 places or more.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison stated (quote) “The return of skilled workers and students to Australia is a major milestone in our pathway back, it’s a major milestone about what Australians have been able to achieve and enable us to do,” he said.
What’s Next for Skilled Migrants Skilled Migrants seeking state nomination or employer sponsorship are key priority for industries who are reporting great shortage of workers across all major sectors. Large projects including infrastructure works are at risk. Key sectors which are experiencing major shortages are Aged Care, Disability Care, Trade skills sector, Agriculture industry and Hospitality industries. A full list of the major priority skills is listed here
A recent published article highlighted that at the peak of demand between now and 2025, Infrastructure Australia predicts a shortfall of 70,000 scientists and engineers, 19,000 project management professionals and 28,000 trades and labour workers. As employers are seeking to frantically fill positions, they will be more inclined to hire suitable workers who not only meet the job position requirement but will want applicants to be visa ready so as to get them into Australia without delay.
