GUEST POST BY SARAH LOCH-WILKINSON, IMMIGRATION SPECIALIST, VISA EXECUTIVE
Legal changes effective from 1 July 2024
What’s changed for students?
From 1 July 2024, holders of visitor, student, and graduate 485 visas are no longer able to make an application for an Australian student visa onshore. Holders of these visas will need to depart Australia to make a new student visa application. The government hopes this will reduce “visa hopping” whereby migrants who may have exhausted their visa options are continuously prolonging their stay through the student visa program. The decision followed a significant rise in students on second or subsequent student visas in 2022-23 and an increasing prevalence in the visitor visa to student pathway. A Grattan Institute study found that 32% of graduates were returning to further study at the expiry of their Subclass 485 graduate visa.
How might this impact employers?
We anticipate a possible rise in student and graduate employees approaching employers for support with their visa options, including sponsored work visa options. However, the government’s reduction in the work experience requirements for a Subclass 482 Visa expected to take effect in 23 November 2024 will hopefully alleviate some pressures for this cohort of workers in transitioning to a work visa. Ultimately, some employees may not have sponsorship options due to their job role, salary, or experience. Global organisations may wish to consider other international assignments for these employees whilst they gain experience. Advice can be sought from registered migration agents or immigration lawyers as to the viability of any other visa categories, such as the Subclass 407 Training Visa.
Subclass 485 Graduate Visa changes
What’s changed for international graduates?
From 1 July 2024, the age limit for the subclass 485 graduate visa reduces from 50 years of age to 35 years of age. Graduates completing a Masters by Research or PhD may still apply up to age 50, as well as Hong Kong or British Overseas National passport holders.
Pandemic concessions and 2-year extensions for certain degree holders have now ended.
There are two clearly defined streams, one for those graduates completing vocational studies in Australia, and one for those completing higher education. The visa stay periods are now as follows:
Stay periods are as follows:
- Post Vocational Education Work stream – 18 months
- Bachelor degree (including honours) – up to 2 years
- Masters (coursework and extended) – up to 2 years
- Masters (research) and doctoral degree (PhD) – up to 3 years
How might this impact employers ?
We anticipate a reduction in the number of Subclass 485 graduate visa holders in the job market and this will place some graduates under pressure to secure sponsorship within the period of their 485 visa.
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If you are looking at sending staff to Australia, want to clarify the information in this article, or for any other queries regarding visas, get in touch with Sarah Loch-Wilkinson, Accredited Specialist in Immigration Law at Visa Executive.
This article was originally published on www.visaexecutive.com.
