BREAKING NEWS - COVID CONCESSIONS FOR MULTIPLE SUBCLASSES

Partners, contributory parent and child visas - Onshore grants announced

From 27 February 2021 (inclusive) the following visas will be able to be granted while the applicant is in Australia, even though these usually require the applicant to travel offshore.

Partner (subclass 309) visa
Prospective Marriage (subclass 300) visa
Child (subclass 101) visa
Adoption (subclass 102) visa
Dependent Child (subclass 445) visa

This temporary concession is for eligible applicants who are in Australia and are not able to travel offshore to be granted their visa because of COVID-19 travel restrictions.

The same concession will commence for eligible parent visa applicants on 24 March 2021:

Contributory Parent (subclass 173) visa
Contributory Parent (subclass 143) visa
Parent (subclass 103) visa

Current processing timeframes for Parent visa applications would not be impacted by these amendments. Further details will be provided.

Further information is available on the Department's website.

Subclass 485 - Temporary Graduate - Offshore lodgement and grant permitted

Concessions have been granted to all SC 485 streams, the Graduate Work, the Post Study Work and the Second Post Study Work streams, to allow eligible visa applicants to lodge and be granted their visa while they are outside Australia, if impacted by COVID travel restrictions during the concession period that commenced on 1 February 2020.

Subsequent entrants may also be onshore or offshore for lodgement and grant.

See the Department's website for further information on these concessions for SC 485 applicants.

Subclass 887 - Skilled Regional Visas - Onshore /offshore concessions

Applicants outside Australia

Eligible applicants make their visa application outside Australia and be granted the visa while outside Australia during the COVID concession period, commencing 1 February 2020.

These applicants will also be given access to the following shorter employment requirements and shorter residency requirements during the concession period:

9 months fulltime work in a specified regional area. A concession of 3 months off the usual 12 month period (or, if the Minister specifies a shorter period in a legislative instrument, that shorter period), and
18 months residence in a specified regional area. A concession of 6 months off the usual 2 year period (or, if the Minister specifies a shorter period in a legislative instrument, that shorter period).

Applicants inside Australia

Eligible applicants applying onshore will still be required to meet the 2 years of residence in a specified regional. They will also receive the 3 month employment concession of:

9 months fulltime work in a specified regional area (or, if the Minister specifies a shorter period in a legislative instrument, that shorter period).

Further information is available on the Department's website

If you require any more info or need assistance with any visa type please get in touch with me at info@radiantmigration.com.au or visit www.radiantmigration.com.au and contact me via Contact us page.

Roshani Joshi

Registered Migration Agent; MARN: 2015750

Director

Radiant Migration Australia Pty Ltd

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