International students who are currently holding their post-study visa or studying in regional Australia can shortly apply for a 485 visa extension Australia. However, that wholly depends on whether they are qualified to do that or not. This particular extension excludes areas like Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney. The Australian Department of Home Affairs has recently declared that the international students studying outside Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney will now get to extend their existing 2-year post-study visa.
This includes those students who are pursuing a Bachelor’s degree and Master’s degree by coursework graduates. The eligibility criteria only involve foreign students studying at some regional campus that is connected with a metropolitan university. By choosing to extend the 485 visas, students can now have the opportunity to make the most of the post-study work arrangements that will be available from 2021. It is also going to include ongoing residence within a regional area.
A student of foreign origin who has studied in any one of the universities based in these particular locations and who has resided in these places for a term of two years would be able to apply for the extension. The 485 visa new rules allow students to apply for either a 1-year or a 2-year extension. However, the extension criterion depends on the specific area. As a student studying in Australia, you can opt for the 1-year visa extension if you have been living and studying in Category 2 areas, namely Adelaide, Perth, Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast, Newcastle/Lake Macquarie, Canberra, Wollongong, Illawarra, Hobart, and Geelong. While on the other hand, those studying and residing in Category 3 areas are eligible to get a 2-year extension.
Considering the fact that the Australian government is currently providing study visa extensions in the Category 2 and Category 3 areas to accommodate international students, it is now apparent that there is a growing need for foreign skilled talents that can help to boost the economic strength of the country and generate greater levels of growth. Hence, students who have been looking to find a 485-visa extension due to COVID can greatly benefit from this decision taken by the Australian government. This change in visa policy will benefit the international students seeking career growth opportunities in Australia as well as a way to possibly migrate to this country. Therefore, it is expected that more and more new students are going to apply for an Australian visa and come down to pursue their education in the regional areas of the country.
It is believed that visa 485 Australia will play a pivotal role in changing the economy of Australia for the better. Even though the government in Australia has set a maximum limit on permanent visas to a total of 160,000, there is major support to encourage migration that can foster substantial economic growth in years to come. The 485-visa extension regional policy is believed to pave the way for better growth of the labour market by bringing in a skilled workforce from other parts of the world. Migration can help in better growth of the economy and there is no way this is going to come to a halt any time soon.
