SC476, SC407 & SC408 COVID-19 Visa Updates

Recent Temporary Visa Enhancements

In support of Australia’s COVID-19 economic recovery, the Australian government has announced the following recent enhancements:

Skilled Recognised Graduate (subclass 476) visa holders

Eligible Skilled-Recognised Graduate (Subclass 476) visa holders who lost time in Australia as a result of COVID-19 international border restrictions will:

• Have their visas extended for 24 months
• Be provided with the usual length of the visa, plus an additional six months
• Be allowed to live, work or study in Australia (applies only to recent engineering graduates)
• Be allowed to enter, or remain in, Australia until April 2024 (applies only to current and former Skilled-Recognised Graduate visa holders)

The extension will also apply to people whose visas have already expired, providing they were unable to use the full length of their original visa due to COVID-19 international travel restrictions

The extension is expected to take effect in April 2022, subject to amendments to the Migration Regulations 1994.

Eligible visa holders will be notified directly by the Department of Home Affairs of the extension of their visa and may arrive in Australia after this occurs.

Training (Subclass 407) visa holders

During the pandemic, the Australian Government allowed Student visa holders to work additional hours in critical sectors.

Due to current workforce shortages, the Government is temporarily extending this arrangement by removing the limit on secondary Training (subclass 407) visa holders’ working hours across all sectors of the economy.

This measure takes effect immediately for existing and new secondary Training visa holders, and will be reviewed in April 2022.

Access to COVID-19 Pandemic Event (Subclass 408) visas

Temporary visa holders with work rights will be able to access the COVID-19 Pandemic Event (Subclass 408) visa incurring no Visa Application Charge for a period of 6 or 12 months if they work in any sector of the Australian economy.

Presently, the COVID-19 Pandemic Event visa is available with no Visa Application Charge for 12 months for any person working in, or with an offer to work in agriculture, food processing, health care, aged care, disability care, child care, and tourism and hospitality.

The new arrangements will only be available for Pandemic Event visa applications made on or after 21 February 2022 by:

• Temporary visa holders who were in Australia prior to 21 February 2022; as well as
• Temporary visa holders who arrive in Australia after 21 February 2022 and have work rights or a job offer from a Commonwealth funded aged care service at time of application.

Temporary visa holders working in, or intending to work in, any sector of the Australian economy including Commonwealth funded aged care will be able to apply for the Pandemic Event visa up to 90 days before their existing visa expires and then remain in Australia for up to 12 additional months if working or intending to work in a key sector (including agriculture, food processing, health care, aged care, disability care, child care, and tourism and hospitality) or 6 months if working or intending to work in  any other sector.

It is important to note that these temporary settings are subject to ongoing review by the Government and can change quickly with little notice.

For further information or an assessment on your circumstances please schedule a consultation with our immigration lawyers.