Australian Immigration Daily News

Important points from the Press Conference, as spoken by the Prime Minister of Australia, Scott Morrison:

"The other issue that we are addressing is one that, as a result of changes that have occurred in Hong Kong, that there will be citizens of Hong Kong who may be looking to move elsewhere, to start a new life somewhere else, to take their skills, their businesses and things that they have been running under the previous set of rules and arrangements in Hong Kong, and seek that opportunity elsewhere. Australia has always been a very welcoming country to such people from all around the world, and our immigration system is the best in the world. It has the best controls, it has the best targeting, it has the best focus, and immigration as a result has been a pillar of the strength of our nation, not just our economy but our society as well. We are a great immigration nation. I would argue we are the best. And many countries have learned from our success in managing immigration in the national interest, and we will continue to do that. But our immigration program provides some particular opportunities for those who have been living as citizens in Hong Kong, and around 10,000, or thereabouts, of Hong Kong citizens and residents are currently in Australia on student visas or on temporary work visas.

What we've agreed to do is we've agreed to adjust the policy settings to ensure that for skilled and graduate visa holders, we will be extending visas by five years from today, with a pathway to permanent residency at the end of those five years. Now, that means if you're a current or future student, you'll be able to stay for a total of five years once you've graduated with a pathway to permanent residency at the end of that period. Now, if you're a temporary graduate or skilled visa holder, your visa will be extended to provide an additional five years from today, in addition to the time you've already been in Australia with a pathway to permanent residency at the end of that period. And we will also provide a five year visa with a pathway to permanent residency for future Hong Kong applicants for temporary skilled visas, subject to meeting an updated skills list and appropriate labour market testing. We will also put arrangements in place to ensure we focus on Hong Kong applicants to study and work in regional areas, to help address skills shortages in those areas, with express pathways to permanent residency, as already applies after three years. And we will also look at new incentives and arrangements to attract export-orientated Hong Kong-based businesses to relocate to Australia, particularly where they have a strong potential for future growth and employment of Australians.

The summary:

• Temporary graduate and skilled workers will be offered an additional five years of work rights in Australia on top of the time they’ve already been in Australia, with a pathway to permanent residency at the end of that period.
• Students will be eligible for a five year graduate visa from the conclusion of their studies, with a pathway to permanent residency at the end of that period. 
• Future Hong Kong applicants for temporary skilled visas will be provided with a five year visa, based on meeting the updated skills lists and Labour Market Testing requirements.
• Existing arrangement will continue to apply for those applicants who study and work in regional areas to help address skills shortages in those areas, with pathways to permanent residency after 3 years.

Source: MORRISON-and-TUDGE-Joint-Statement----Hong-Kong.pdf

Australia will offer a path to permanent residency for thousands of Hong Kong citizens, while suspending its extradition agreement with the city in response to China's crackdown on personal freedoms and dissent.

The changes apply to people already in Australia, offering safe haven and a path to remaining in Australia.

Temporary work visa holders and student visa holders currently in Australia will have their visas extended, and will have the opportunity to apply for permanent residency after that period.

In a report on SBS News today it states:

Canberra has indefinitely postponed its ‘Safe Passage’ pilot program to bring international students back into the country until there is a “clearer picture around the COVID-19 trajectory.”

The two state-owned universities in the Australian Capital Territory which are jointly initiating the country’s first pilot have announced that they have postponed the plan to bring back up to 350 overseas students to the capital.