The Australian government has announced changes to international student visa arrangements, including recommencement of granting student visas lodged outside Australia.
This means when Australia's borders re-open, students will already have visas and be able to make arrangements to travel, the Australian High Commission in Dhaka said on Wednesday.
The changes also enable international students to lodge a further student visa application free of charge, if they are unable to complete their studies within their original visa validity due to the Covid-19 restrictions, the high commission said.
These visa changes will ensure international students are not worse off due to the pandemic, the high commission further added.
Student visa holders studying online outside Australia due to Covid-19 will be able to use that study to count towards the Australian study requirement for a post-study work visa.
Graduates who hold a student visa will be eligible to apply for a post-study work visa outside Australia, if they are unable to return due to Covid-19.
Additional time will be given for applicants to provide English language results where Covid-19 has disrupted access to these services.
Alan Tudge, acting minister for immigration, citizenship, migrant services and multicultural affairs in Australia, said the changes provide assurance to international students already in Australia, as well as those who haven't been able to travel due to Covid-19 border closures.
“These measures back the international education sector - our fourth largest export sector - and will assist its recovery,” Tudge said.
“In making these changes, we have been guided by the principles that the health of Australians is key, but that international students should not be further disadvantaged by Covid-19.”
Tudge said Australia is a welcoming nation with a world-class education system, and some of the lowest rates of Covid-19 in the world.
“Students want to study here and we want to welcome them back in a safe and measured way when it is safe to do so. Doing so will not only support the education sector, [but] it will also have flow-on effects for many local communities and businesses, including accommodation services, tourism, hospitality and retail,” Tudge said.
Australian Education Minister Dan Tehan said the changes would give international students confidence in their visa arrangements, so they can make plans to study in Australia when it is safe to do so.
“Our remarkable efforts in controlling the spread of the virus mean we can begin to welcome back international students in a safe way once state borders re-open and face-to-face learning resumes,” Tehan said.
“As well as supporting jobs, international education builds our connection to the rest of the world and supports a number of critical industries like health, aged and disability care.”
The Australian government previously relaxed work restrictions for international students working in the health, aged and disability care sectors during the Covid-19 crisis.
It has also been flexible in cases where the pandemic prevented international students from meeting their visa conditions, such as not being able to attend classes in person.
