- Australian authorities are phasing out the COVID-era Pandemic Event visa.
- Existing visa holders will remain lawful until their visa expires.
- Alongside the visa discontinuation, international students are now restricted to working .
Australian authorities are phasing out the COVID-era Pandemic Event visa (subclass 408) that allowed international students to work unlimited hours, impacting over 20,000 students who benefited from this visa.
Existing visa holders will remain lawful until their visa expires, with an option to extend it for an additional six months for a fee. However, starting from February 2024, the visa will no longer be available for any new applicants.
Alongside the visa discontinuation, international students are now restricted to working a maximum of 48 hours per fortnight, and work exemptions for Working Holiday Visa holders have been terminated, all part of efforts to manage Net Overseas Migration post-pandemic.
Pro-student advocates have raised concerns about the financial challenges these changes may pose to students.