COVID-19 Concessions for Visa Subclass 485 & 887

The new COVID-19 Concessions for Subclass 485 and 887 are to ensure applicants are not disadvantaged by circumstances beyond their control, including border closures, restrictions imposed on businesses and the general economic downturn related to COVID-19.

Skilled Graduate Visa (Subclass 485)

The Skilled Graduate Visa (Subclass 485) allows recent graduates to live, study, and work in Australia temporarily. This visa is exclusively for International students who apply and satisfy the Australian Study Requirement within 6 months of successfully completing their Australian tertiary studies.

The Skilled Graduate visa could only be lodged onshore however, from 19th September 2020, new legislation will allow applicants to apply and be granted Subclass 485 visas while in or outside Australia during a concession period.

The new legislation also provides concessions in relation to ‘time of application’ requirements, including:

Allowing offshore applications during a concession period without the usual requirement to have held a student visa within the six months immediately before making the application.
Extend the period to meet the Australian Study Requirement from six months to 12 months for applicants prevented from returning to Australia due to COVID19 travel restrictions during all or part of the period commencing on 1 February 2020 and ending on 19 September 2020.
Allowing applicants that made an offshore Subclass 485 visa application during a concession period to be granted the visa in or outside of Australia and regardless of whether the concession period has ended.

Skilled Regional Visa (Subclass 887)

Skilled regional visa subclass 887 is the second stage visa process for applicants who hold a Skilled Provisional visa (sc489, sc457, sc487, sc495, sc496, and relevant bridging visas) and are now seeking permanent residence. Skilled Provisional visa holders can apply for Subclass 887 if they have lived for at least two years in regional Australia and worked full time for a total of one year in the specified regional area.

The second stage permanent residence visa could only be lodged onshore however, from 19th September 2020, new legislation will allow visa holders or former provisional visa holders (whose visas expired during a concession period) to apply and be granted Subclass 887 visas while outside Australia during a concession period.

The amendments also include the below:

provide provisional visa holders and former provisional visa holders (whose visas expired during a concession period) with a concession toward the requirement to live for two years in a specified regional area. The applicant is taken to have lived in a specified regional area for six months (or a longer period specified in a legislative instrument) if the applicant was outside Australia during a concession period and made the application during the concession period; and
reduce the requirement for fulltime work in a specified regional area from 12 months to nine months (or a shorter period specified in a legislative instrument) if the applicant held a provisional visa during a concession period and the application is made no later than three months after the end of the concession period.

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

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