After nearly two years of being closed to the rest of the world, Australia’s international borders reopened to overseas students in December. Subsequently, on February 21, 2022, the country reopened to the rest of the world, paving the door for the return of families, tourists, and business travellers.
In celebration of the reopening of Australia’s international border, overseas passengers were greeted at the airport with beautiful koala plushies and signature goodies such as Tim Tams chocolate biscuits and vegemite. Federal Tourism Minister Dan Tehan was on hand to greet the first passengers arriving on a Qantas flight from Los Angeles, California.
Australia Offers Goodies For International Students
In an effort to entice overseas students to return to the country’s borders, Australia has revealed a number of incentives and advantages for students to enjoy once they arrive.
Over the last few months, Australia’s international border has offered these advantages in the hopes of attracting overseas students who have been sorely missed over the last two years, and the sweetened bargain has been effective.
According to ICEF Monitor, over 56,000 international students had returned to Australia as of January 30, 2022, with another 50,000 having filed student visa applications.
Extension Of Post Study Work Visa
The Australian government announced modifications to the Australian post-study work visa rules on November 25, 2021, in order to provide overseas students with more options upon their return. Because of modifications to the visa, international students can now stay in Australia for an extended period of time to live, study, or work after finishing their studies.
Modifications to the new visa setting, according to a joint statement from Education Minister Alan Tudge and Immigration Minister Alex Hawke, will extend efforts to protect international students’ work visa rights and extend the temporary graduate visa from two to three years for master’s by coursework graduates.
Graduates from the Vocational Education and Training (VET) sector will also be eligible for a two-year Temporary Graduate visa.
Extension In Working Hours
On January 14, 2022, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison temporarily lifted the 40-hour-per-fortnight limit for student visa holders, allowing them to work indefinitely while studying.
Visa Rebates
The Prime Minister also stated that beginning on January 19, 2022, overseas students who arrive in Australia will have their visas refunded at a cost of 630 Australian dollars per student. The reimbursement will be available until March 19, 2022, and students will be able to apply for it through the Department of Home Affairs.
The reimbursement is intended to correspond with the previously indicated work hours extension. As a “thank you for choosing Australia,” the Australia visa application discount is part of a campaign to encourage students to return for the start of the university year.
“But we also want them to come here and to be filling some of these critical workforce shortages, particularly those who are working and being trained in health care, aged care, those types of sectors, that will be incredibly helpful,” Morrison was quoted saying.
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