The Department of Home Affairs has advised that the visa application fee waiver will be available on lodgement of new international student visa applications from midnight (AEST) 5 August 2020.
The Australian government had last month announced a raft of changes to visa arrangements to ensure Australia continues to remain a priority study destination in a post-pandemic world.
As part of those five measures, Acting Immigration Minister Alan Tudge had said international students will be able to lodge a further student visa application free-of-charge if they are unable to complete their studies within their original visa validity due to COVID-19.
A Department spokesperson said the fee waiver will be available to the affected students who held a visa on or after 1 February 2020 from Wednesday.
“A visa application fee waiver will be available to students who held a student visa on or after 1 February 2020 and who were unable to complete their course within their original visa validity due to the impacts of COVID-19,” said the spokesperson.
The Department has further clarified on its website that refunds will not be available for students who have already applied for a visa.
“Only new applications will be eligible to have the application fee waived,” states the website.
The fee waiver will also be available to family members of eligible students whose studies were affected by the pandemic.
students must attach a completed Form 1545 COVID-19 Impacted Student (PDF – 228 KB) from their education provider with a valid visa application.
Temporary Graduate (Subclass 485) visa eligibility: Changes will apply to current and new students
In another major change, Minister Tudge also announced the relaxing of eligibility requirements for the post-study work (Temporary Graduate) visa.
According to the new measure, the online study undertaken by current and new student visa holders, as a result of COVID-19 travel restrictions, will be counted towards the Australian study requirement.
The Department of Home Affairs spokesperson said: “This measure is immediate.”
“Graduates affected by COVID-19 travel restrictions will be able to apply for and be granted a Temporary Graduate visa outside Australia (where they have met all the requirements),” said the spokesperson.
Source: SBS
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