Cancellation of pandemic visas for students and workers from February 2024 by Australia

The corona virus epidemic had a great impact on the world and all the affairs of the world. Visas related to this epidemic period were introduced in many countries of the world, including Australia, for students and workers in order to facilitate the conditions of international students and temporary workers. Currently, with the announcement of the end of the Corona epidemic, the Australian government also canceled the most important work and study visas of this country. In this article, we discuss the cancellation of pandemic visas for students and workers from February 2024 by Australia.

Australia is canceling pandemic visas for international students and temporary workers

According to The Economic Times, the Australian government announced that it will stop issuing visas related to epidemics from February 2024 (12 February 1402). The move will affect a significant number of international students and temporary workers who are trying to find other options to stay in Australia. Students who studied in the universities of this country through the Australian study visa could stay in Australia even after the expiration of the study visa by receiving the pandemic visa. The Subclass 408 visa was introduced during the height of the Corona pandemic in 2020 to address labor shortages and support international students who were unable to leave Australia. The Subclass 408 visa allows students to stay in Australia for up to 12 months after their visa expires. In addition, by receiving this visa, international students could travel to or from Australia several times during their stay.

To promote visa consistency and as a transitional measure, Pandemic Event visa applications will be accepted from applicants who are currently residing in Australia through it and whose validity has not yet expired. This law was approved on September 2, 2023 (9 Shahrivar month 1402). The move comes after Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s government recently ended a series of measures related to the Covid-19 era, including unlimited working hours and employment for international students and work exemptions for working holiday visa holders. .

Immigration and education experts have called for the Pandemic Visa to be scrapped with immediate effect, arguing that it is being misused because it allows students and workers who have been granted study and work visas to immigrate to Australia for 12 months. Work unlimited hours. According to statistics recently released by the Australian Department of Home Affairs, almost 60,000 international students and temporary workers were using this visa to extend their stay in Australia, even after the corona pandemic. This ministry has issued 65,859 pandemic visas from June 2022 (June 1401) to March 2023 (March 1402).

Conclusion

In a quick action, the Australian government canceled the pandemic visa related to the corona virus epidemic. This action was taken in order to reduce the unlimited working hours of international students and not to extend the stay of temporary workers in Australia. Of course, students and workers whose pandemic visa validity period has not yet expired can stay in Australia until the end of this visa. Obtaining an educational or work residence in Australia is one of the legal methods in the field of work of consultants and experts of immigration institutes, including the Institute of Esthetic Immigration. The experts of this immigration institute in Tehran and other big cities of Iran provide useful guidance to help the applicants to obtain a residence visa in Australia to successfully go through this difficult path.