Hello Student Community!
We are going to shed some extra light apart from the usual in this article. Of course, we will explore the visa & immigration requirements to study in Australia, but we’ll also move a step beyond. Up ahead, we will also dive deep into the current COVID-19 situation & its impact on international students.
But first, let’s quickly recap the Australian Student Visa Eligibility.
When you wish to study in Australia, you should be prepared with the following things. Australian Student Visa Subclass 500 is the visa category to pursue higher education in Australia.
What are the basic requirements you need to fulfill for a student visa & immigration to study in Australia?
- You need to enroll in a full-time on-campus program in Australia
- Must have an OSHC (Overseas Student Health Cover) or fall in the exempt categories
- Confirmation of Enrollment (CoE)
- Statement of purpose (SOP)
- Provide your GTE (Genuine Temporary Entrant) statement
- Letter of recommendation (LOR)
- Evidence of English language proficiency test (IELTS, PTE, TOEFL, etc.)
- Proof of funds for tuition, living expenses, etc.
- Character certificate
- Valid passport
Once you are prepared with the things mentioned above, you are good to apply for Australia Student Visa. To lodge your visa application, you’ll need to create and then log in to your ImmiAccount. Attach all the required documents starting from your passport to overseas student health cover to your IELTS or PTE certificate from your Englishfirm PTE classes in Parramatta. Pay your visa application fees and provide biometrics. Finish the rest of the process with an easy walk-through application process.
Then comes the most crucial factor while you wait for your visa outcome.
Yes, “Patience.”
The processing time varies based on the stream you have selected. However, under the “Simplified Student Visa Framework (SSVF),” the department of home affairs has optimized the visa processing time for students to study in Australia.
Most student visa applications are processed, ranging from a month to a few on top. It all depends on your stream, whether you have applied for higher education, vocational education & training, independent ELICOS, or postgraduate research.
As an International student studying in Australia, you will be entitled to work for 40 hours per fortnight during the study-session or term time & full-time during holidays.
However, this has been relaxed for the existing student visa holders keeping the COVID-19 situation in mind.
Alright, so before we jump onto the Australian Government COVID-19 student & travel updates for visa holders, if you have any queries kindly post in the comment section below.
Let’s dive deep into the current COVID-19 situation & its impact on international students.
Amid the pandemic, the Australian government has announced a range of visa measures to support students.
Note: Do kindly keep in mind that these measures are temporary, and we urge you to stay updated with them via Media Release constantly.
Table of Contents
1) No Visa Application Fee
The government has decided to waive the visa application fee temporarily. This is applicable for the students who have held a student visa on or after 1 February 2020 & couldn’t finish their course within the stipulated visa validity due to the COVID-19 circumstances.
These circumstances may include:
- deferred their study as they were unable to enter Australia due to travel restrictions
- were forced to reduce to a part-time study load
- were unable to complete their work-based training or placements
Moreover, your student visa application must be attached with a completed FORM 1545 to consider an application fee waiver.
2) Temporary Relaxation in Working Hours For Students
The Department of Home Affairs and Australian Border Force have taken a student-centric approach amid pandemic to extend their support.
This relaxation is granted in only a few specific industries. Thus, a student is allowed to work for more than 40 hours a fortnight if they are:
- employed by an aged care Approved Provider or Commonwealth-funded aged care service provider with a RACS ID or a NAPS ID before 8 September 2020
- employed by a registered National Disability Insurance Scheme provider
- enrolled in a healthcare-related course, and you are supporting the health effort against COVID-19, as directed by health officials
- employed in the agriculture sector
Return of International Students: It is not sure when the Australian government will open the border for students willing to study in Australia. But, it will be taken into consideration when it is safe to travel for students as well as the Australian community.
Moreover, students facing financial difficulty to pay their tuition fees and afford other support services may approach and take help from universities and education providers for:
- tuition fee deferment
- food & accommodation support
- mental health & other medical support
Conclusion:
It is one thing not able to travel and another not to apply to study in Australia. Once the international border for students opens, one can easily hop on the plane and reach the best quality & popular destination for international students. Australia boasts one of the best healthcare systems and keenly looks after the welfare of the community & students. It is also a prime responsibility of students present onshore & offshore to support by keeping a valid OSHC for Australia and constrict spreading pandemic. We hope that the article is helpful to the international student community and may visit Getmypolicy.com to compare, save & buy visa-compliant overseas student health cover.
