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Category: Student visas

Visa application fee waiver available from August 5

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 …

Australia resumes processing international student visas to boost numbers post-coronavirus

A raft of measures have been announced by the federal government to ensure Australia remains an attractive destination for international students. The federal government has resumed the processing of student visa applications lodged in locations outside Australia in an attempt to boost the number of international students once borders reopen. It is part of five …

Indian students stuck offshore and running out of visas seek exemption from Australia’s travel ban

The Australian government on Friday announced that it will consider allowing international students back into the country as early as July, but stopped short of providing a specific timeline, leaving thousands in limbo. For international students who have been stuck in India for the past two months due to the COVID-19 travel restrictions, July may …

Backpackers to help with the bushfires in return for staying longer in Australia

This is a tricky one. Is this fair? Does it make the best use of those keen to spend longer in Australia or is it exploitative? Read the following article from the ABC and you decide. Do let us know what you think: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-02-17/backpacker-working-holiday-visa-changes-for-bushfire-volunteers/11971010

Over a thousand Indian students stripped of their visas in 2019

Thousands of international students had their visas cancelled last year for a number of reasons, including for providing false documents and non-compliance with visa conditions. Students from India accounted for over 1,100 cancellations, behind those from China and South Korea, according to the Department of Home Affairs. Indian national Lovepreet Singh was stripped of his …

How the coronoavirus is affecting students studying in Australia

As many are already aware, the impact of the coronavirus on non-citizens (or residents) of Australia has been significant, with visas being cancelled and travel restrictions implemented. But what about the wider picture? What about Chinese students studying in Australia? According to an article in the Sydney Morning Herald: The university regulator will relax its …

Big driver licence change for international students, visa holders

I wonder – will any of the following regulations come in to force in the ACT any time soon? What do you think about these new laws? New road safety regulations in Victoria could leave many temporary visa holders, including foreign students, unable to drive using their overseas licence if they do not get a …

‘Backpacker tax’ overturned by Federal Court

An estimated 75,000 backpackers could receive hundreds of millions of dollars from the tax office after the Federal Court ruled the Government’s so-called backpacker tax invalid. The landmark ruling said the tax was a “form of discrimination based on nationality” and could not be applied to a British woman living in Australia on a working …

Australian student visa: financial capacity requirement increased

Within a month of downgrading the assessment level of international students from India, Nepal and Pakistan, Australia has increased the financial capacity requirement which will make it more difficult to get Australian student visas. Australia has further tightened the screws on student visas by raising the evidence of funds visa applicants are required to show, …

The Gold Coast wants to be classified as ‘regional’ to bring in more migrants

The Gold Coast is lobbying to be reclassified from ‘metro’ to ‘regional’ under Australia’s migration system in order to bring in more skilled migrants and international students. But some say the city already has enough advantage. The Gold Coast wants to be reclassified as a regional area so it can boost its number of skilled …