Refund on visa application fee and relaxation of working hours

Published January 2022

Some important changes have been announced by the Australian Government – here’s what they mean for you.

Visa charges waived for international students coming to Australia

The Australian Government is offering an incentive to encourage those with student visas to return to Australia sooner rather than later. As stated in a media release published on 19 January 2022, “any Student visa holder who is currently offshore and comes to Australia over the next 8 weeks, will be eligible for a refund of their Visa Application Charge.”

Important information:

• A Visa Application Charge for a student is currently $630AUD.
• The eligible dates for a refund on your visa application charge are between 19 January to 19 March 2022
• You will be able to apply for a refund right up until the end of this year. More information on this will become available on the Department of Immigration and Home Affairs website. 

Flexibility in working hours

Since Covid-19 arrived, the Australian Government has permitted those with Student visas working in critical sectors to work additional hours.

Due to the current challenges with shortages in the workforce, this arrangement is being expanded. The Department of Immigration and Home Affairs website says: “This means that international students can work before their course commences and work more than 40 hours a fortnight in any sector of the economy.” The arrangement will be reviewed in April 2022.

Further reading:

• Mental health resources for international students
• Flexibility in work hours for international students in lockdown
• Looking after your wellbeing as a student