As Australia continues to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, the government of Australia recently announced special measures to accommodate international students interested in pursuing their education in the country. 

International education is Australia’s fourth-largest export sector, contributing $40 billion annually and supporting 250,000 jobs. 

As the country has slowly recovered from the coronavirus crisis, it has sought to find ways to assist international students both inside and outside the borders of Australia. In May, the country considered taking steps towards allowing international students to enter the country in July. With the recent announcement of the visa changes in a new media release, it seems the country is indeed committed to assisting their international students. 

Australia has proposed five visa changes in order to better accommodate international students and ensure that Australia remains globally competitive amid the pandemic. These five (5) visa changes include: 

• recommencing the granting of student visas in all locations lodged outside Australia, allowing students to enter the country once borders reopen;
• allowing international students who are unable to complete their studies within their original visa validity due to COVID-19 to lodge a further student visa application free-of-charge;
• allowing student visa holders studying online outside Australia due to COVID-19 to count their online classes towards the requirement for a post-study work visa;
• allowing graduates unable to return to Australia due to COVID-19 who held a student visa to be eligible to apply for a post-study work visa; 
• providing additional time to applicants struggling to provide English language test results due to service disruptions from COVID-19.

In his closing statement, Acting Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs Alan Tudge said these changes were proposed to provide assurance to international students both inside and outside Australia amid the ongoing coronavirus crisis. 

“In making these changes, we have been guided by the principles that the health of Australians is key, but that international students should not be further disadvantaged by COVID-19,” Minister Tudge stated.

“We are a welcoming nation with a world-class education system and some of the lowest rates of COVID-19 in the world. Students want to study here and we want to welcome them back in a safe and measured way when it is safe to do so.”

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