According to a report in the media, Australia is planning to do away with the Subclass 408 or COVID work visa in the near future. If this occurs, a sizeable number of Indian students and temporary employees may be forced to look for alternative options in order to stay in the country.The Temporary Activity Visa, also known as subclass 408, gives candidates the opportunity to work in Australia if they already have an offer of employment in a critical area or are engaged in that field.
“The government is currently considering its ongoing suitability. This includes consideration of an end date for closing eligibility of the visa (Subclass 408) and a proposed approach to returning to normal operations,” the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) told SBS,
This new development occurs at the same time as the Australian government is taking steps to implement a new working hour restriction of 48 hours per fortnight for international students, which will take effect on July 1.
The COVID work visa allowed students the ability to work an unlimited number of hours, but those limits will now be reinstated, which will result in a reduction in the student’s income.
On the other hand, foreign students who are employed in the elderly care industry will be excluded from this limit until the end of the year.
“The closure of this visa will affect many, including international students. They will be looking at a different visa to stay in Australia, for which they will pay,” Suman Dua, a migration expert, told SBS, adding that the COVID work visa was free to obtain.
In the beginning, the purpose of the COVID work visa was to help relieve the burden placed on international students already studying in Australia who were unable to leave the country due to border restrictions caused by the COVID virus. Students who had visas that were about to expire were granted permission to remain in the country for an extra year. The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) made the announcement in March 2022 that the COVID work visa would be extended as part of the measures taken by the government to revitalize the Australian economy after it was impacted by the epidemic. The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) has introduced a more lenient policy on visa condition 8107, which refers to employment limits for holders of Subclass 408 visas. This was done to alleviate the ongoing shortage of workers.
“There is a range of permanent or temporary visas that pandemic event visa holders may be eligible to apply for to remain in Australia,” the DHA told SBS.
At this moment, persons are qualified for a Subclass 408 visa if their existing visa (with work privileges) is set to expire in 90 days or less, or if it is set to expire within 28 days of the time the application is submitted. Applicants for a Subclass 408 visa are generally eligible for a visa that allows them to remain in Australia for up to a year. However, holders of a Temporary Graduate (Subclass 485) visa are eligible for a pandemic event visa that allows them to remain for up to two years.
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