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Quick Visa Update

 

As of today, the 19th of August, critical COVID-19 work undertaken in the healthcare and medical sectors can be counted as ‘specified work’ for the purpose of applying for a second or third Working Holiday Maker (WHV) visa. To be eligible for a second or third WHM visa, this work must have been undertaken anywhere in Australia after 31 January 2020.

 

Changes are being made to allow former WHMs who transitioned to a COVID-19 Pandemic Event subclass 408 visa in order to continue critical work in the healthcare and medical sectors to return to the WHM pathway. Work under the COVID-19 Pandemic Event visa will count as specific work towards a second or third WHM visa.

 

Regulation amendments to bring these changes into effect are currently in progress and further announcements will be available soon.

 

 

For current updates please see our social media

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/globalhealthsource/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/globalhealthsource/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/GlobalhealthS

New Zealand

Offshore Applicants

The processing of residence visa applications has stopped for the time being.

Of the number received 20,922 EOIs, 4,029 meet the criteria for boarder exemption and have been invited to apply for a visa.

If you have already submitted a residence application, it will remain in the queue and be processed once the border restrictions have been lifted.

If you have not submitted a visa application but wish to, you still can. However, Immigration New Zealand suggests that most applications will not meet the criteria and are unlikely to be processed at this time.

If you have been granted a border exception, a visa application can still be submitted. Again, due to stricter border restrictions exceptions are unlikely to be granted in this instance.

Onshore Applicants

GHS has successfully arranged visa extensions to ensure that our international recruits can travel. This is an everchanging situation so please contact ghs@globalhealth.com.au for more information.

Visit Immigration New Zealand for additional details.

AUSTRALIA

Student Visa Holders

Certain student visa holders may be permitted to work more than 40 hours a fortnight if;

• They are employed in the health sector.
• Enrolled in a health-related course (nursing or medicine).
• They are employed by an approved provider or Commonwealth-funded aged care service provider.
• They are employed by a registered National Disability Insurance Scheme provider.

For more information see Temporary relaxation of working hours for student visa holders – https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/student-500/temporary-relaxation-of-working-hours-for-student-visa-holders

Working Holiday Maker Visa Holders

Working holiday makers in the agriculture, food processing, health care, aged care, disability care and child-care industries can now work longer than six months with a single employer and will not be in breach of the 8547 Visa Condition.

A Working Holiday Maker (WHM) visa will not be extended but you can apply for a 2^nd or 3^rd WHM visa. See specified work conditions – https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/what-we-do/whm-program/specified-work-conditions for more information.

WHM visa holders working in the critical sector, who are not eligible for a 2^nd or 3^rd WHM visa, with a visa that expires in 28 days or less and cannot return home, may apply for a Temporary Activity Visa (subclass 408) Australian Government Endorsed Agreement Event stream (COVID-19 Pandemic event visa)

Please see https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/temporary-activity-408/australian-government-endorsed-events-covid-19 for additional information.

 

For current updates please see our social media

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/globalhealthsource/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/globalhealthsource/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/GlobalhealthS

 

Australia

Who can travel to Australia?

• Australian citizens.
• Australian permanent residents.
• Immediate family members of Australian citizens or permanent residents.

Exemptions may be made for;

• Foreign nationals whose purpose is to assist in COVID-19 response, or whose entry is of national benefit.
• Critical medial services; air ambulances and medical supply deliveries.
• People with critical skills such as medical specialists, engineers, marine pilots, and crews.
• Diplomats and their immediate family members.

Other exceptions will be considered case-by-case.

Those traveling to Australia must undertake a mandatory quarantined period of 14 days upon arrival.

Travel restrictions are subject to change, please see https://covid19.homeaffairs.gov.au/ for continuous updates.

New Zealand

Air New Zealand and Singapore Airlines are managing bookings to ensure quarantine facilities are not overwhelmed. Air New Zealand is not accepting any new bookings for the next three weeks. Singapore Airlines is accepting new bookings and monitoring numbers.

Chris Hipkins, New Zealand’s health minister, said that there were 6,378 beds in the country’s 28 facilities and 5,787 were occupied. Another 750 places will be added in the coming weeks as an attempt to combat the influx.

 

For current updates please see our social media

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/globalhealthsource/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/globalhealthsource/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/GlobalhealthS

Recent developments at Immigration New Zealand: The COVID crisis: https://www.immigration.govt.nz/about-us/covid-19/coronavirus-update-inz-response Prior ...