A student visa is now a temporary permit to work all-hours

The federal government will refund the $630 visa processing charge already paid by international students now out of the country who return in the next eight weeks. And new applicants for student visas will not pay it at all if they lodge in the same period.

The government has also dropped all restrictions on international students working. As of yesterday, there is no limit “on student visa holders working hours across all sectors of the economy.”  This applies to all on-going students and new arrivals who start a job prior to their courses commencing.  The all-hours rule will be reviewed in April.

Makes a change from April 2020 when Prime Minister Morrison made it plain that internationals without the resources to support themselves should go home (CMM April 6).

And it could create an impression that this new rule is about Australia’s economic, not students’ education, interest.

As Independent Education Council Australia pointed out yesterday, “the priority of members is to ensure their students can meet the course progression requirements associated with their student visas.”