Updated on August 23rd, 2021

After months of speculations, since March 2020, when the Australian borders are closed because of a health crisis caused by COVID-19 to everyone except citizens and permanent residents, everyone is regularly asking a question. When will borders reopen for international students? Undoubtedly this question is also costing 40 billion dollars to the country’s economy. Uncertainty is everywhere, although government officials, students, Universities, agencies, and other bodies estimate it differently. Given figures suggest that over 100, 000 international students are waiting outside Australia, including India. And they are wandering every day to fly back to Australia and join their studies.

South Australia’s plan

On 16^th August 2020, the Australian government announced a pilot program under which the government is planning to reopen borders for approximately 300 international students who will arrive in South Australia. The federal government also gave a green signal to plan. Under this plan, these students will be from South East Asian countries like Singapore, Japan, China, and Hong Kong. After reaching Adelaide, they will remain in 14 days quarantine period. Universities will pay for the cost of quarantine.

Another plan of South Australia

Now we are at the end of July 2021 and under a newly approved student arrival plan for South Australia, a dedicated quarantine hub in Adelaide will host up to 160 students. South Australia approved the new “quarantine hub” and they expected it to become operational in the second half of 2021. 

On similar lines, another quarantine hub proposal for New South Wales is in the last stages of review. If it happens, it will be a significant step for students. Two in five (38%) international students who come to Australia choose to study in NSW.

Conditions are safe for quarantine

Education Minister Alan Tudge said the South Australia hub, which is to be based at Parafield Airport, met all standards. And “won’t take any quarantine places from Australians returning home”; returning students will be outside of overall “caps” on returning travellers for the state.

Institutions and students will be responsible for the costs of flights and quarantine. Incoming students will quarantine for 14 days and take daily COVID-19 tests.

South Australia’s Chief Public Health Officer Nicola Spurrier, who first approved the plan in May, said the quarantine facility is “ideal”:

It is single ground floor units, there’re no corridors basically, so it’s very well ventilated. It’s ideally set up for a student cohort because that’s actually what we normally use the facility for.

There are so many other factors on which the actual answer depends. The Australian government is trying to control the situation. Any further outbreak of COVID in any part of the country can create risk and all planning may get further delay.

As mentioned earlier, this question is costing 40 billion to the country, the government should come with a more effective way out to revive the economy. Students will travel and undergo medical tests and also quarantine. Delay in the opening will cause further loss to the economy. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, while talking to the media, mentioned that Australian borders would not reopen at least the end of the year but on the other side. Universities have taken applications, and similarly, immigration has also started accepting visa applications.

Hope that students can resume studies

In this scenario, if someone planning to study in Australia, he has to start the process, taking English tests like IELTS or PTE, collecting relevant documents. As a prospective international student, you can predict to join studies in the first intake in 2021. But this is again an estimate as there is no official announcement yet.

Let’s hope for the early reopening of borders for students and other travellers.

Updated on September 7th, 2024

We need a visa to travel from one country to another for any specific reason or purpose. It is like an endorsement on a passport that allows the visa holder to enter, leave, or stay in any country in a particular period. Here we will discuss a few steps to get an Australian Visa. Reasons can be various like business, travel, study, work, or any, so requirements will also be different depending nature of the Visa. The visa application process differs from country to country, as every country has a unique set of rules that apply to get the visa approved.

This write-up is about Study & Visitor visas only. First, we are taking the heading of Study Visa.

# Study Visa subclass 500

When anyone wishes to study in Australia, he would need to get a study permit. The guidelines for study visa keep on changing from time to time. A Simplified Visa Framework (SSVF), which started on July 1, 2016, applies. As per this set of rules, now every visa for the study is filed under subclass 500.

It has ranked Australia as one of the best destinations for international students. Indian students are opting for Australia for its world-class education and excellent quality of living. Australia is one of the most welcoming and diverse countries. It has almost half of its population either born overseas or has at least one parent born overseas.

What you need for enrollment in the course

When you choose Australia for your studies, you will need to get a student visa. And to apply for a study visa, the very first thing you need is full-time enrollment with a recognized institution. While applying for registration in any course, you need to provide various information on your eligibility to enter that course of study. Your level of English is one of the essential requirements for entry into your course. Besides this, you also need to provide information about your living and welfare arrangements, including your health insurance.

Applying for your Study Visa:

When you get a letter of offer from any recognized institution, you need to apply for your visa. As discussed earlier, you need to apply for your visa under subclass 500. There is a list of documents required to apply for a study visa. These days we apply for it online. And here, we are giving a checklist of documents, but this list is not inclusive. There can be a few more requirements depending on case to case. If you are below 18, you may need your parental consent. I suggest you consult your expert’s advice for the last list of documents while applying for your visa. Choosing the right course for the right career is very important. The reason is that you will invest a lot of money and precious time. The following video can guide you on this point.

Checklist of documents to apply for Study Visa

# Visitor Visa subclass 600

Australia is one of the popular destinations for tourists from all over the world. Its beautiful beaches, mountains, mind-blowing landscapes, and many other things can allure anybody who feels a love for nature. Its awe-inspiring beautiful spots all-time attract tourists & visitors.

If you wish to visit Australia for tourists, business visitors, or visit family, you need to process your application under subclass 600. These days, the entire application process is online, and you do not need to physically visit any embassy of VFS. You need to fill out the application form, load relevant documents and pay the visa fee with your card. Although the entire process is straightforward, you need to take the correct steps for a successful application. A small and silly mistake can be the reason for the rejection of your visa application. You can complete the entire process yourself. But I advise you to consult some professionals to avoid any mistakes in your application.

When we read subclass 600, it suggests different applicants. This visa lets you visit Australia as a tourist, see family and friends, or for a few other purposes, including medical treatment. You may also have brief visits as business visitors. Under this visa, you can’t work or sell goods or services. Visa conditions can let you single entry or multiple entries while the visa is valid. To ensure that you get a successful visa, I suggested you consult a visa consultant.

What you need for a Visitor Visa Application

In visitor visa applications, there are few general requirements. Every application may need a few more specific things to satisfy the Visa Officer for the Visa grant. Here the fundamental thing is your purpose of the visit, and that should be very clear. The visa officer may ask for any document for his satisfaction. The applicant needs to prove that he has sufficient financials to support his visit. It must clearly mention his reason to return. Here is a list of documents that are needed while applying for this visa.

Documents brief Checklist

To avoid the extra length of the article, we will discuss different Australian Visas separately. This article is a general view of the Study & Visitor Visa for Indians. Also, read about other Visas.

If you are applying for any visa, you must consult an official source of information, or you may consult at Adv.Jaspal@gmail.com or WhatsApp +91-9888481965