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Update for International Students

The government has announced some good news for international students studying in Australia.

This week’s announcement came out of last year’s Jobs & Skills Summit, with one of them being a two-year extension of post-study work rights for international graduates with select degrees in areas of verified skill shortage.  This will come into effect from 1 July 2023.

Post-study work rights for international graduates will be increased from:

This extension will be added to the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) for eligible graduates; or enabling a new visa application for those select students who already hold a Temporary Graduate Visa and will be seeking an additional two years.

The indicative list of occupations and eligible qualifications can be found here with the final occupation list being provided by 1 July 2023

Regional

This will not affect eligibility to apply for the Post-Study Work Stream for graduates who have studied, worked, and lived in a regional area.

Transitional arrangements

Eligible international students whose Temporary Graduate 485 Visas will expire between 1 September 2022 and 1 July 2023, as well as 485 holders who remained in Australia contributing to the economy during the COVID-19 pandemic, will be able to access a two-year Pandemic event (subclass 408). For details, see the Home Affairs website.

List of Eligible Occupations

The list of eligible qualifications was developed by mapping in-demand occupations on the Skills Priority List to relevant qualifications.

The lists of occupations and qualifications will be monitored and reviewed on an annual basis to respond to any changes in the labour market and address any risks that emerge.

It is intended that future changes to the qualifications list will not adversely impact students who have started an eligible course of study, which has subsequently been removed from this list.

Students who graduate with a qualification that was eligible either when they started studying or when they finished studying, or both, will be eligible for the extension.

How to Apply

Lodgement for visa applications will commence on 1 July 2023, subject to appropriate regulations being put in place.

Working Hour Cap for International Students

In the same week, the Government has also announced an increase to the working hour cap for international students, from 40 to 48 hours per fortnight, when the cap is reinstated on 1 July 2023

Published Thu 23 February 2023.

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