In today’s blog update, we will talk about the Subclass 408 Visa closure in Australia but first, we’ll do the Overview of Subclass 408.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Australian Government introduced the Temporary Activity Visa (subclass 408), also known as the Covid visa. This came into being in 2020 and the visa holders remained in Australia for a period of one year. This was an intermediary measure that allowed certain visa holders affected by the COVID-19 travel restrictions to perform only specified temporary work.
These included persons employed in key areas such as agriculture, health care, aged care, disability care, child care, and hospitality and tourism who were issued with visas of up to 12 months.
Closure Announcement
The Australian Government closed the visa on August 31, 2023. Thus, starting from September 2, 2023, only existing pandemic event holders would be able to receive an additional visa for a one-half year, that is until January 31, 2024. This contrasts with the previous visa, which was free, but now a visa application charge of $405 is imposed. Subclass 408 visa holders currently in Australia are required to reapply for another subclass 408 visa if eligible, seek other visa options, or depart Australia, prior to the expiry date of their visa.
Reasons for Closure
The Temporary Activity Visa closure is credited to Australia’s open borders which makes the visa redundant. There were also fears that the visa would be abused. It was reported that unscrupulous migration agents and international students abused the visa that permitted unlimited time of work for one year. This in effect, back-doored the job market. It was made known towards the end of July 2023 that many students on student visas had transferred to the subclass 408 visa, which allows for full-time employment.
This is a major change in Australian immigration policy after covid era that will lead to a highly secure visa process.
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