Opening of Australia’s borders and permanent pathways for 485 visa holders

Australia’s borders likely to re-open in December

There has been increasing talk amongst the nation’s politicians of opening Australia’s borders when at least 80% of the population aged 16 and above are fully vaccinated.

How far along are we?

At the present time, nearly 63% of the population has had at least 1 dose of the vaccine while nearly 40% of the adult population is fully vaccinated. This is great news and signals an end to international travel restrictions.

Are there examples of this in other countries?

A look at other countries around the world which are taking steps to reopen their borders shows that Singapore will shortly reopen to certain regions, after meeting a target of 80% vaccination amongst adults.

From early September, fully vaccinated travellers will be allowed to move more freely between Germany and Singapore without the need for hotel quarantine.

What about Australia? Are travel ban exemptions still required?

At the present time, it remains necessary for temporary visa holders to obtain a travel ban exemption before they are permitted to enter Australia. All travellers - both Australian citizens/permanent residents and temporary visa holders – must undertake hotel quarantine for two weeks upon arrival.

Australian citizens and permanent residents are also required to obtain an outbound travel exemption if they are seeking to depart Australia.

If you need to travel outside of Australia, or are seeking to enter Australia, and are unsure of the requirements for departure and re-entry, please do not hesitate to contact us and we would be more than happy to review your circumstances and advise on exactly what is required.

We will continue to provide regular updates concerning Australia’s travel restrictions, including the possibility of home quarantine, as and when they become available.

Pathways to permanent residency for 485 visa holders

The 485 visa is a great way for students who have completed their Australian studies to remain in Australia for up to 4 years.

If you hold a 485 visa and your long-term goal is to obtain permanent residency, it is essential to be aware of all available visa options. Indeed, there are several direct and transitional pathways to permanent residency.

For example, there is a direct pathway to permanent residency under the Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS).  Alternatively, permanent residency can be obtained directly through an independent (subclass 189) or state-sponsored pathway (subclass 190).

It is also possible to obtain a temporary state sponsored visa under the subclass 491 visa scheme and eventually transition to permanent residency after 3 years. A further possible alternative would be finding an employer and being sponsored for a subclass 482 visa and later transitioning to permanent residency under ENS.

Am I eligible for permanent residence and which pathway would be best?

If you have any questions about either obtaining a 485 visa or applying for permanent residency as the holder of a 485 visa, please do not hesitate to contact us and we would be more than happy to review and assess your circumstances to determine an appropriate pathway to Australian permanent residency.

Key contact: Jeffrey Bennett, Senior Associate - jeffrey@integratelegal.com