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STUDENT VISA - SUBCLASS 500 - AUSTRALIA
Table of Contents
- Australian Lawyers and Migration Agents - Student Visa Advice
- Student Enrolment Assistance
- Subclass 500 - Student Visa
- Genuine Temporary Entrant (GTE)
- Student Visa Eligibility
- Student Visa Conditions
- Processing Times - Student Visa
- Allowances for Student Visa Holders
- Student Guardian 590 Visa
- Temporary Graduate - 485 Visa
- Biosecurity - Power to cancel Student Visas, in 2021
- International students will no longer face a cap on working hours for Hospitality and Tourism jobs
- Office Address and Telephone - VisaConnect Australia
Australian Lawyers and Migration Agents - Student Visa Advice
Our Australian Immigration Lawyers and Registered Migration Agents are experienced and ethical. We can assist clients in our offices in Brisbane, Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong, London, UK and Lisbon, Portugal. In addition, our Australian qualified Lawyers can advise clients worldwide, with a fast and efficient Consultation by telephone, where they advise you about:- Visa eligibility assessment
- Information about the visa process
- Assistance with Student course enrolment at an Australian Educational Institution
- Advice regarding how to accept a Letter of Offer and obtaina COnfirmation of Enrolment
- Advice regarding payment of the Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) fee
- Advice regarding supporting documents including: Qualification certificates, CV, Work references and Identification
- Advice regarding Financial requirement, and evidence of funds
- Assistance with Genuine Temporary Entrant Statement
- Advice regarding how to sit an English language test and required score
- Advice regarding how to apply for Police Clearance certificates
- Preparation of Medical examination and Chest x ray referral letter and advice where to undergo health checks
- Visa Processing time guidance
- Information about the Government Visa Application fee and Migration Agent / Lawyers fees for complete visa application assistance
Student Enrolment Assistance
- VisaConnect's Advisers are qualified Education Agents (Counsellors), who can assist you with your study options in Australia. We help you to select a course based on your preferences for location, such as Sydney or Brisbane, Type of course e.g. Engineering at Bachelors level, English language ability, Educational background and Financial capacity.
- We assist you with the Student course enrolment application forms and find you accommodation in student housing, homestay or private apartments.
- For more information and assistance with your Student course enrolment, read about our Education Agent service: Education Agent Assistance
Subclass 500 - Student Visa
The Student visa allows students to travel to Australia and study full time at recognised Educational Institutions, in Australia, and work part time.Genuine Temporary Entrant (GTE)
Personal Statement regarding GTE - Applicant's must provide a personal statement in English addressing the GTE requirement. If you are not comfortable writing it in English, you can write your statement in your own language and submit a translated copy with your application. You can provide further details of the written statement in the application form or attach a separate document with supporting documents.The Personal Statement should provide evidence or information about the following:
- Previous Study
- Gap in Previous Study
- Current Employment
- Ties to Home Country or Country of Residence
- Economic situation in home country or country of residence
- Employment in a third country
1. Circumstances in home country (or country of residence) - Reasons why the student has decided not to study in their home country if a similar course is available there. Details of ties to their home country that indicate an intention to return at the end of their studies, economic circumstances, military service commitments, and political and civil unrest in home country.
2. Potential circumstances in Australia - Ties and links to Australia which would indicate a strong incentive to stay in Australia after completion of the course, knowledge of proposed course of study and education provider, previous study and qualifications, planned accommodation and financial capacity.
3. Value of the course to the applicant's future - Question is whether the course is consistent with the applicant's current level of education, relevance to past or proposed future employment in home country or elsewhere, and expected remuneration in home country or elsewhere, which could be gained from undertaking the course of study, in Australia.
4. The applicant's immigration history - History of previous visa applications to Australia and other countries including visa refusals and cancellations.
5. If the applicant is a minor - Intentions of the parents, legal guardian or spouse of the applicant.
Student Visa Eligibility
As well as providing evidence that the applicant is a Genuine Temporary Entrant, the applicant must also meet the eligibility criteria below:- Enrolment - You must be enrolled in a recognised course and include your Confirmation of Enrolment (COE) from the Australian Educational Institution, for each intended course.
- English Language ability - You must provide evidence of English language ability, such as an IELTS test results.
- English Exemption - No evidence of English ability is needed if they have enrolled in a standalone English Language Intensive Course for Overseas Students (ELICOS) or have completed at least five years study in one or more of the following countries: Australia, UK, USA, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, or the Republic of Ireland, or is a citizen of UK, USA, Canada, NZ or Ireland, or have completed a Secondary School certificate or Certificate IV in Australia.
- Financial requirements - the student applicant needs to show evidence that they have enough funds available to pay for their course fees, travel and living costs and support any accompanying family.
- Health and Character - You must meet health and character requirements and maintain Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) Insurance.
Student Visa Conditions
Mandatory Conditions - These conditions are attached to all student visas. For example, you must not work, you must have a satisfactory academic result, attend contact hours and maintain health insurance.Discretionary Conditions - These conditions may be attached to a student visa depending on the circumstances. For example, if you are granted permission to work - then the condition will state, 'you must not work more than 20 hours a week during your course session'.
Students who work more than 40 hours per fortnight in certain Sectors must:
- maintain their course enrolment
- ensure satisfactory course attendance, and
- ensure satisfactory course progress
Processing Times - Student Visa
Outlined below are the standard processing times for various types of Student visas, current as at August 2021:1. Foreign Affairs or Defence Sector
- 75% of applications in 5 months
- 90% of applications in 9 months
- 75% of applications in 4 months
- 90% of applications in 10 months
- 75% of applications in 3 months
- 90% of applications in 8 months
- 75% of applications in 7 months
- 90% of applications in 9 months
- 75% of applications in 5 months
- 90% of applications in 7 months
- 75% of applications in 4 months
- 90% of applications in 6 months
- 75% of applications in 3 months
- 90% of applications in 5 months
Allowances for Student Visa Holders
The Student Visa is a temporary visa, which allows for study up to 5 years. Once an Applicant has an Approved Student visa, they can do the following:- Join an eligible course of study in Australia
- Travel in and out of Australia, with mutiple entry
- Work up to 40 hours every 2-week period, once your course starts
- Work additional hours in certain sectors, including work for: Aged care Approved Provider, National Disability Insurance Scheme, Working in a health care related course and you are supporting the health effort against COVID-19, Agriculture sector, Tourism and hospitality sector, Working in a supermarket, or associated distribution facility, located in an area impacted by COVID-19 lockdown restrictions. Note that these additional hours are temporary measures during the COVID-19 pandemic, and will be reviewed by the Government.
Student Guardian 590 Visa
The Student Guardian visa allows a guardian, such as a parent of an international student, to stay in Australia while the student is studying a course in Australia.- Student Guardian means a relative of the Applicant who is traveling to Australia to provide care and support for a student visa holder under 18 years.
- Student Guardian must be over 21 years of age and of good character.
- Student Guardian must meet health and financial requirements.
- Student Guardian accompanies a student under 18 years of age.
- Guardian must live with the student and the Guardian cannot work.
- Guardian must meet the financial requirement, and provide evidence of funds to support yourself, and the student.
Temporary Graduate - 485 Visa
The Temporary Graduate visa is intended for recent graduates from an Australian educational institution. The visa has 2 streams - Graduate Work and Post-study work.Graduate Work stream
1. Nominate an Occupation - nominate a skilled occupation from the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL).2. Skills Assessment - you have applied for a skills assessment in your nominated occupation, and your skills have been assessed as 'suitable'.
3. Australian Study requirement - you have met the Australian study requirement in the past 6 months. This visa is granted for 18 months.
4. Australian Qualification - your degree, diploma or trade qualification is closely related to your nominated occupation.
5. Visa duration - visa is valid for 18 months from date it is granted.
Post-Study Work stream
This stream is for international students who graduate with a higher education degree from an Australian education provider, regardless of their field of study. The visa can be granted for up to 4 years.485 Visa - Online Study Outside of Australia during Covid-19
See the new requirements for Temporary Graduate (subclass 485) visa holders, who have been impacted by COVID 19:- Online study undertaken outside Australia as a result of COVID 19 travel restrictions will count towards the Australian Study Requirement for existing and new student visa holders. Note that Online study outside Australia is counted from the time of Student visa grant.
- Graduates affected by COVID 19 travel restrictions will be able to apply for and be granted a Temporary Graduate visa outside Australia (where they have met all the requirements).
Replacement 485 Visa - Open from mid-2022
Current and previous Subclass 485, Temporary Graduate Visa holders who lost time in Australia due to Covid-19 international travel restrictions will shortly be able to apply for a replacement visa. The Australian Government has announced the replacement visa for graduates who have been disadvantaged due to the pandemic and related travel restrictions.Applications for the replacement visa will be open from mid-2022. To be eligible, applicants must have been outside of Australia at any time between 1 February 2020 and 1 December 2021, while they held a Temporary Graduate visa.
Biosecurity - Power to cancel Student Visas, in 2021
Powers to cancel visas on biosecurity-related grounds have been expanded from 1 January 2021, to student and temporary work visa holders.Any decision to cancel a temporary visa on biosecurity grounds will only be made after consideration of factors, such as the seriousness of the breach, the potential impact on Australian business and agriculture, and the individual circumstances of the traveller.
Temporary Graduate (subclass 485) visas can return to Australia from 18 February 2022, without needing to apply for a travel exemption.
International students will no longer face a cap on working hours for Hospitality and Tourism jobs
A cap imposed on Internationals Student working hours will be lifted, in the Federal Budget on 11 May 2021, if they are employed in hospitality and tourism, marking a significant change for many who rely on these jobs.There are around 300,000 students in Australia who face the 40-hour fortnightly limit on their working hours while they are studying, according to government estimates.
However, in a bid to boost the tourism and hospitality sectors, the government is now removing the existing cap for student visa holders employed in these industries following strong industry feedback.
Hospitality and tourism will now also be classified as critical industries alongside other sectors such as agriculture, food processing, health care, disability care and childcare with similar concessions.
Temporary visa holders working in or intending to work in tourism and hospitality will also be able to apply for the 408 COVID-19 Visa up to 90 days before their existing visa expires. This will enable them to remain in Australia for up to 12 additional months.
Office Address and Telephone - VisaConnect Australia
Contact VisaConnect's Consultants at our Brisbane, Queensland, Australia office below:VisaConnect - Qld, Australia
Level 1, 16 McDougall Street,
Milton, Brisbane,
Queensland 4064
Australia
Telephone: (+61) 7 3040 9589
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