This year due to the epidemic and travel ban, Australia has introduced a series of flexible exemption policies, involving multiple types of visas such as 500/485/887/462/417/482/188. As Australia's economic and social needs change, certain policies are gradually adjusted. This we

Due to the epidemic and travel ban this year, Australia has introduced a series of flexible exemption policies, involving multiple types of visas such as 500/485/887/462/417/482/188.

As Australia’s economic and social needs change, certain policies are gradually adjusted.

This week, Australia has revised its immigration laws again, mainly covering 887, 462/417 and GTI visa 124/858. The effective date of

is today - November 14th.

Next, the editor will mainly talk about the working holiday visa.

Australia’s working holiday visas are divided into two types, 462 and 417. The main differences between the two are:

They are applicable to different countries and regions.

462 has an annual quota limit (except the United States), 417 does not.

The designated work scope of the second and third signatures is different.

For example, those from mainland China, Singapore, Thailand, and the United States apply for 462, with a quota of 5,000 per year, and those from Hong Kong, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, and Canada apply for 417.

This year Australia has made a lot of adjustments to the working holiday visa, mainly for specified work, which ones can be used for second and third visas, and which ones can apply for 408, etc.

The main contents of this modification are:

1. The wording of 417 has changed, and the original "designated work in remote areas" has been changed to "417 designated work".

This is because starting from August 19, critical medical work related to COVID-19 in any area of ​​Australia can be used to meet the requirements of the second and third visas, so the original term "remote areas" is inaccurate. , and it is also consistent with 462. The current saying of 462 is "462 designated work."

2. The original working holiday visa holder who currently holds the 408 bridging visa or has received the 408, during the period of 408 and its bridging visa Critical medical and nursing work related to COVID-19 can also be used to meet the requirements for the second and third visas!

In other words, this type of backpackers can implement the route from working holiday visa to 408, and then back to working holiday visa.

The previous regulation was that although backpackers working in key industries can continue to work after applying for 408, the work during this period cannot be used to meet the requirements of the second or third visa, unless the job they are engaged in also happens to be the second or third visa. Work recognized by the third visa, such as agricultural work in some remote areas, and work such as nursing do not meet the requirements for visa renewal.

This point was also raised by the Immigration Committee in its report on working holiday visas not long ago:

It is recommended that backpackers who have transferred to the 408 visa can use the key work they performed while holding the 408 visa to meet the requirements of the second or third visa. .

Now that the Immigration Bureau has adopted this suggestion, it is good news for backpackers and will also help increase manpower for Australia’s fight against the epidemic.

Then, after this modification, the scope of specified work required for working holiday visa renewal has changed to:

417 Applicable: construction, fishing and pearling, plant and animal cultivation, mining, tree farming work in remote areas

462 Applicable: in Construction (newly added on 2020.3.5), fishing and pearling, plant and animal cultivation work in remote areas, and tourism and hospitality work in Northern Australia.

417 and 462 are both applicable: in wildfire-stricken areas (from 2019.7.31 to reconstruction work (for applications from 2020.3.5 and after), and critical medical work related to COVID-19 (for new applications from 2020.8.19 and after, the work is after 2020.1.31 engaged).

In addition to the expansion of the scope of work, working hours for the same employer in key industries have been extended to 12 months, and volunteer work in bushfire areas can also be recognized.

Generally speaking, these changes this year have relaxed the requirements for working holiday visas, and the opportunities for holders to stay in Australia have also increased.