The COVID-19 epidemic has changed the worldwide higher education scene. Significant financial losses have resulted from a drop in overseas student enrolments. However, Australia has a rare opportunity to restore its position as a top international study destination if it responds quickly and effectively to the pandemic's problems. Including the encouragement of tourism as well.

Australia's Bid to Reclaim Its International Education Prominence Amidst the Pandemic Challenges

After two years of long restrictions, Australia is now able to reopen its international borders due to the successful country-wide vaccination drive. In 2020, Australia imposed some of the world's strictest travel restrictions due to COVID-19.

The reopening of borders will encourage joyous family reunions, international students and skilled workers, and most importantly, Australia's multi-billion-dollar travel industry.

Federal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg recently stated that meeting vaccination objectives of 70% and 80% in Australia will provide a significant opportunity by reopening borders to international students. He emphasized the significance of this decision for the economy and the university sector.

Prior to the pandemic, the international education sector was anticipated to generate $40 Billion AUD to the economy, with university fee revenue accounting for roughly $10 billion.

New Entry Guidelines for Fully Vaccinated Temporary Visa Holders in Australia

Let’s stimulate economic recovery and travel requirements. Fully Vaccinated temporary visa holders, including Visitor and Bridging Visa B holders, are now allowed to enter the country.

By welcoming international students and skilled and unskilled migration, it is expected to encourage speedy economic recovery.

Consider a few points:

• All fully vaccinated visa holders can travel to Australia without needing a travel exemption.

• Unvaccinated travelers in the exempt category, holding an individual travel exemption, or having proof of medical reason can travel to Australia under agreed passenger caps established with the states and territories.

• Individuals aged 12 or over must have received the complete two doses (or one dose of the Janssen vaccine) of the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) approved vaccine to be considered "fully vaccinated".

Visa Extension

The government has also made changes to the temporary activity visa (subclass 408), which includes expanding the visa beyond key sectors and permitting work in all sectors.

Temporary visa holders with work permits from any sector of the Australian economy can access the Pandemic event visa for nil Visa Application Change (VAC) for 6 to 12 months.

However, the length of stay granted to the visa holders under the revised Pandemic event visa is based on meeting specific eligibility requirements. You can resolve your inquiries by getting in touch with our migration counselors for the top class visa services in Melbourne, Sydney or anywhere in Australia.

Employer-Sponsored Visa Program

A few legislative changes are made to the Temporary Skills Shortage visa. TSS visa holders in the short-term stream will be able to apply for permanent residence through the Temporary Residence Transition (TRT) stream of the Subclass 186 Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) visa from 1 July 2022.

The visa holder must have been in Australia from 1 February 2020 and 14 December 2021 for at least one year to be eligible. The pathway will only be open for two years from its commencement on 1 July 2022.

Subclass 457 visa holders with an occupation listed on the Short-term Skilled Occupation List (STSOL) can apply for the TRT stream of the ENS without first applying for a TSS visa.

New agreements for the subclass 457 visa holders who no longer meet the age requirement and former TSS visa holders who have already held two short term TSS visas will be finalized.

Navigating the Resumption of International Arrivals

As Australia gradually reopens its borders to overseas visitors in 2022, the hospitality industry sees a brighter future, albeit with caution.

While many stakeholders anticipate a favorable trajectory for the remainder of the year, they also recognise that the path to full recovery to pre-pandemic levels will not be quick or easy.

The return of international arrivals is a mixed bag, with different types of travel returning at different rates. At the moment, returning expatriates and long-term residents, such as foreign workers and international students, outnumber short-term recreational tourists by a large margin. The "Visiting Friends and Relatives" (VFR) category is swiftly rebounding, encouraged by expatriates' and long-term residents' urge to reunite with loved ones after a long separation.

Overcoming obstacles of Australian tourism industry & aiming for a stronger recovery post Covid

However, problems such as uncertainty around airline regulations, consumer uncertainty, and continued COVID-related restrictions continue to impede the return of leisure travelers. Despite these challenges, some analysts believe that short-term tourist arrivals, while still just 21% of pre-COVID levels for May 2022, are a promising start.

Dean Long, CEO of the Australian Federation of Travel Agents, sees this as an encouraging indication, forecasting that the figures would likely rise to approximately 60% by October, representing a significant improvement from the 1% recorded at the start of the previous year. The full resurgence of short-term travelers is projected to gather traction as airlines add new routes, loosen regulations, and other nations relax their own travel-related policies, coinciding with extended school holidays in the northern hemisphere.

Aviation consultancy ASM Australasia forecasts a gradual recovery in international tourism, predicting a return to 2019 levels by approximately 2026. These forecasts offer hope for the Australian hospitality industry, which is poised to adapt and evolve as international travel regains its footing.

Conclusion

A well-defined and effective COVID-19 strategy is critical to Australia's reputation as an outstanding international educational destination. This policy should involve reopening borders with caution and making the greatest use of existing quarantine facilities.

Failure to implement a clear plan risks relegating Australia to a lower tier in the global higher education market, resulting in significant annual income losses and the waste of decades of effort and investment that have built Australia's reputation for educational excellence. Moreover, the nation has plenty of career prospects for skilled migrants as well, as the new budget suggests.

Contact PFEC Global, a recognised education and migration services provider dedicated to supporting you in achieving your goals, for additional information about resuming foreign travel.   Please reach out to us at +610396201773 (Melbourne), +610283784282 (Sydney), +610870992258 (Adelaide) for more details.