The pandemic has dragged on for more than a year now, and we’re sure everyone already knowsthe Subclass 408 COVID-19 Pandemic event visawell by now. Since the pandemic began in Australia, the Department of Home Affairs, under the existing Subclass 408 visa,added a new pandemic stream,and this visa is divided intoa version with work rights and a version without work rights.
The Subclass 408 visa
pandemic stream
● For applicants working incritical shortage industries(agriculture, food processing, health care, aged care, disability care, childcare, etc.),the visa can be granted for up to 12 months, with work rights.
● Forthose with no other visa options, and who arestranded in Australia due to the pandemic, they can also apply for the Subclass 408 visa,which can be granted for up to 3 months, without work rights.
The advantages of the Subclass 408 visa — why choose it?
Advantages
●
The Subclass 408 COVID-19 Pandemic visa has plenty of advantages — let’s go through them one by one:
First,the Subclass 408 Pandemic visa has no visa application charge!That’s right — it’s a free visa!!This is especially useful for applicants who have already renewed their visa multiple times onshore, or families who would otherwise need to pay several visa application fees at once.
The Subclass 408 Pandemic visa is also very flexible on lodgement timing —it can be lodged within 28 days before or after your current visa expires,and if youhave pandemic-related work in Australia, you can evenlodge it up to 90 days before your visa expires.
If you’ve read this far,
you might be thinking the Subclass 408 visa has nothing to do with you?
This visa actually applies very broadly —
let’s illustrate with a few real examples!
The correct “approach” to using it
Scenario 1: Parents visiting Australia short-term, stranded by the pandemic
●
Student A’sparents came to Australia on a holiday, but got stuck in Australia because of the pandemic — they couldn’t get a suitable flight, with fewer flights available and airfares much higher,so they had no choice but to keep renewing their visitor visa, just to stay in Australia legally. Under Department of Home Affairs rules, anyone lodging a temporary visa (such as a visitor visa) onshore for the second time or more must pay an extra $700 AUD renewal application charge each time — which adds up fast:a single visitor visa application alone comes to $365 + $700 = $1,065 AUD!And a visitor visa doesn’t allow secondary applicants,so for both parents applying, the visa fees reach a hefty $2,130 AUD — a huge cost!
So Student A came to Newstars for advice,and we advised Student A to lodge a Subclass 408 visa for their parents — not only is there no visa fee, it also gave their parents enough time to book flights and arrange their departure.In the end, Student A’s parents were each granted a 3-month Subclass 408 Pandemic event visa.
Likewise,applicants holding many other types of visas — such as the Subclass 500 student visa, Subclass 485 Graduate Work visa, or Subclass 462/417 working holiday visa —who need a bit more time to arrange their departure,can also consider the highly cost-effective Subclass 408 Pandemic event visa.
Scenario 2: Awaiting a migration invitation, renewing to stay in Australia
●
Student B currently holds a Subclass 485 visa and has a full-time job as a nurse,but with the 485 visa about to expire and no migration invitation yet, they were facing having to leave Australia.So Student B came to Newstars to ask whether there was a visa that would let them keep working in Australia. Given that Student B’s job was pandemic-related — something the Department of Home Affairs prioritises — and that the job was also a necessary condition for her migration,we recommended the Subclass 408 visa for Student B. After preparing the documents in detail, Student B was granted the visa just two weeks after lodging — a 1-year Subclass 408 visa with full-time work rights.
That precious year not only lets her accumulate points for skilled migration work experience, but also gives her time to prepare for employer sponsorship.In the current migration winter, everyone knows just how valuable a visa allowing a full year of full-time work really is.
Scenario 3: Holding a WHV, deciding at the last minute to renew
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Student C currently holds their first Subclass 462 working holiday visa onshore in Australia,and had originally not planned to renew for a second working holiday visa, so hadn’t accumulated the specified work needed to qualify for one,but with the pandemic making it hard to return home, wanted to find a visa that would let them keep working and earning in Australia.Considering that Student C was working as an AIN (Assistant in Nursing) in an aged care facility, we recommended that Student C apply for the Subclass 408 Pandemic event visa to accumulate the specified work for a second working holiday visa.
This is because, under Department of Home Affairs rules, from 14 November 2020 onwards, all working holiday visa holders (including Subclass 462 and 417) can count work undertaken while on a Subclass 408 Pandemic event visa towards a second or third working holiday visa.
In the end, with our help, Student C was granted a 1-year Subclass 408 Pandemic event visa with full-time work rights, giving her plenty of time to accumulate the specified work for a second working holiday visa.
The Subclass 408 Pandemic event visa applies so broadly that we can’t list every situation here,so if you’re not sure whether you meet the criteria to apply for this visa,feel free to scan the QR code below to get in touch with me — I’ll give you a detailed assessment and put together the most cost-effective visa plan for you!
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