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There are a number of visas available for people to visit Australia for holiday, sightseeing, social or recreational reasons, to visit relatives, friends or for other short-term non-work purposes.

Including attending a conference or training session, conducting business with an Australian based organisation, business negotiation or for an exploratory business visit.

Most Visitor visas are for up to three (3) months on each visit and include the following visas:

  • Visitor (Subclass 600) visa
  • Electronic Travel Authority (Subclass 601)
  • eVisitor (Subclass 651) visa
  • Transit (Subclass 771) visa

If you would like more information in relation to any of the Visitor visas, please contact Lisa Vorbach today on 0416 084 889 or at lisa@travellingsouth.com.au.

Ending Onshore “Visa Hopping”

On 12 June 2024, the Minister for Home Affairs published a media release that announces further changes to the migration system.  These changes are to stop what is referred to in the Migration Strategy and the media release as “visa hopping” where temporary visa holders continue to apply for further temporary visas onshore to extend their stay in Australia with little prospect of becoming permanent residents.

As a measure to restrict visa hopping the media release outlines the following changes to commence from 1 July 2024:

  • Visitor visa holder will not be able to apply for a Student (Subclass 500) visa onshore
  • Temporary Graduate (Subclass485) visa holder will not be able to apply for a Student (Subclass 500) visa onshore

The legislative instruments that will bring about these changes have not yet been released, an update will be provided once they are released.

The visitor to student pathway saw over 36,000 applications from 1 July 2023 to end of May 2024 is being shut down to reinforce the integrity of the student visa program.

Approved Destination Status (ADS) Scheme

The Approved Destination Status (ADS) Scheme has started.  The ADS Scheme is a travel visa arrangement between the Australian and Chinese governments.  The ADS Scheme allows Chinese tourists to travel to Australia as part of an approved tour group.  The first ADS tourists arrived in Australia in August 1999.

On 10 August 2023,​ the Chinese Government announced that Australia has been included on the list of countries for China’s ADS Scheme.

From 25 September 2023, Visitor (Subclass 600) visa applications in the ADS Stream can be lodged.  You must contact a registered ADS Scheme travel agent to apply for this visa.

Employing Legal Workers

It is the responsibility of all Australian businesses to employ legal workers.  Legal workers are Australian citizens, Australian permanent residents and people in Australia with a valid visa that allows them to work (includes New Zealand citizens).

Not everyone is allowed to work.  Some Australian visas do not allow non-citizens to work whilst in Australia.  People who no longer hold a valid visa are also not allowed to work in Australia.

All Australian businesses should check that the workers they use are allowed to work (includes both paid and unpaid work) and is regardless of whether workers are sourced directly or via a contractor, labour hire or referral company.

Australian businesses are expected to take reasonable steps, at reasonable times, to ensure they are not employing, referring or contracting illegal workers.  Businesses face penalties if they employ, refer or contract non-citizens who are not allowed to work, or who are restricted from undertaking certain work, in Australia.  The fines range from A$3,060 to A$102,000.

The penalties apply to anyone who has allowed or referred an illegal worker to work. The focus is on effectively responding to those few businesses that wilfully take part in illegal work, not to penalise businesses which act in good faith.