Overseas Students in Australia Concerning About the Expiration of Their Visas

It goes without saying that Covid 19 has brought some severe problems to the lives of overseas students. Some travelling boundaries have been applied to all of the countries. These boundaries have prevented many students from going and starting their educational journey from the country of their choice. Now, the concern is about the expiration of the visa, and it has become a valid concern for all overseas students in Australia. Australia is found to be high quality and welcoming destination for international students. The government of Australia has already announced a range of visa measures to support overseas students. Though the measures are temporary, they can be applied for a long time by considering the situation’s necessity. However, student visa expiration is a valid concern for international students in Australia, and the reason behind such a concern is going to be highlighted in the following section.

Why international students are facing visa expiration-related concern in Australia

It is a fact that the concern is gradually growing within the university sector in Australia. International students are getting no indication when borders will be opened and true concern. These students are getting highly concerned regarding their 458 visas. These provide the students who have graduated from an Australian university for up to five years with a path to residency. However, the matter is that the visas are expiring, and the students are getting no update regarding the visa status. They do not have any information regarding the border reopening time. However, by considering the viewpoint of some students who are studying from Australia, it has been possible to understand that students who are applying for a temporary visa this year are supposed to have more significant advantages than the people who have the existing visa as the visa data of these people will begin only when they will arrive in Australia. It means that after the border is opened, they will get the chance to come to Australia, and the visa date will be counted from that time, and it is advantageous. However, it is a valuable question that everyone asks why there is discrimination between the students applying for a temporary visa this year and the students who already have the existing ones. Australian overseas students share their genuine concern with media, and an example related to the viewpoint of an Australian overseas student is going to be expressed in the following section.

What is an Australian overseas student saying regarding the visa expiration-related issue?

Madhur Bhalla is an international student, and the person has told Sky News that he is facing great trouble while being stuck overseas for 11 months, which is an excellent period. He finds himself one of the many students who have returned home to India before the pandemic situation. The pathetic matter is that they have not been able to come to Australia till now due to border-related boundaries. It is truly a significant concern for them as this kind of situation prevents them from continuing their study abroad in a smoother way. It is a fact that Australian universities are offering online courses to international students. However, there is undoubtedly a difference between the traditional courses and these new normal courses. These students are definitely not getting practical class-related facilities through online sessions, so their educational path is getting hampered and truly a pathetic situation for them. In the following section, a detailed discussion regarding the Australian Visa-related factor is going to be elaborated.

What to do if the visa is going to expire in a pandemic situation?

For people who are on a temporary visa that is going to expire while they are in Australia, it is better to consult with an immigration consultant as these consultants will help them to understand whether there is any possibility of applying for another visa by considering the ability of the person to satisfy the visa-related requirements. In such cases, if the visa of a person is already expired, then the person is requested to apply for Bridging Visa E (BVE) instantly. In the interim, while the person will make arrangements required for leaving the country, the BVE must lawfully live in Australia. For those people whose visas have already been expired, the way to apply for a BVE is still open. In such events where the visa of a person was expired more than 28 days ago, the person has to contact the Status Resolution Service immediately. These officers would help the person get another visa option that the person is eligible to apply for. If it were found that there is no visa-related option available, then SRS officers would help the person depart from the country. In this regard, it is essential to state that several related to the visa application process has been affected due to the pandemic situation. It is becoming a matter of concern for students whose visas are going to be expired. It is difficult to get a flight to leave Australia in this time phase, and it has become a costly affair. However, students who are highly concerned about the problem can think of the Subclass 408 Temporary Activity visa. It can allow them to stay in the country in such cases if they have no other visa options and cannot depart Australia due to the pandemic situation-related travel restrictions. This visa class offers a person to continue his/her work in critical sectors in this pandemic phase. For the visa, people have to hold a visa that will expire in 28 days or less. In such cases, if a person has the last substantive temporary visa that has been expired less than 28 days ago, he/she can consider applying for this visa. This kind of facility is expected to help international students who are genuinely concerned about visa expiration-related issues.