Post-Study Work Rights Extended
The Australian Government has announced a planned increase in the duration of post-study work rights for international students who are eligible for a Temporary Graduate Work visa (subclass 485) in select fields of study. The announcement comes as a solution to the critical shortage of labour the country is facing at the moment.
The announcement was made by Clare O’Neil, Home Affairs Minister of Australia stating the changes will come into effect from 1 July 2023
Australia Extension of Post-Study Work
Post-study work rights for select degrees in areas of verified skill shortages will be increased from:
- For select Bachelor’s degrees: it will increase from two years to four years
- For select Master’s degrees: it will increase from three years to five years
- For select PhDs: it will increase from four years to six years
The extension of post-study work rights applies to key areas such as health, engineering, agricultural and teaching sectors and will add extra two years to the rights currently available to eligible graduates who study and work in Australia.
The extensions will help Australia to increase the international students’ stay rate which the country’s economy needs the most. According to the Minister for Education, Jason Clare the stay rate of international students is currently at 16% after they complete their studies and this extension on work permits means they will stay longer and use the skill in Australia to help out with the chronic skill shortage the country is facing right now.
The Australian Government has also planned to invest AU$36.1 million in visa processing to support and tackle higher demand and reduce visa delays. The delay in visas has dismayed many international students over the past few years which ended up with them changing their study abroad destination. this shows the country’s commitment to international students.
Eligible Qualification
The list of eligible qualifications was developed by mapping up in-demand occupations on the Skills Priority List with relevant qualifications. In order to respond to any changes in the labour market and address any risks, the lists of occupations and qualifications will be checked and reviewed on a yearly basis.
Students who are already enrolled in eligible courses of study will not be impacted by these changes. Also, students who graduate with a qualification that was eligible either when they started the course or when they finished studying, or both, will be eligible for the two-year extension. Moreover, regardless of the field of study, all PhD degrees are regarded to be qualified for the measure.
The extension will provide an incentive for international students to complete their higher education in Australia in the skills shortage area and to stay after completing their degree, giving them an opportunity to contribute to the productivity of the country’s economy.
Further information regarding the extension including the list of eligible qualifications is available for download below:
