Australian Immigration Daily News

Purpose

4 The Minister is required to refund the first instalment of a visa application charge (VAC) paid in relation to an application for a visa if, relevantly, a circumstance specified by the Minister by legislative instrument under subparagraph 2.12F(1)(a)(ii) of the Regulations exists. LIN 21/007, before commencement of the instrument, specified a number of different circumstances where the VAC may be refunded for different temporary visa subclasses where visa holders have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

5 The instrument amends LIN 21/007 to specify an additional circumstance where the first instalment of VAC may be refunded, to encourage visa holders in nominated subclasses to travel to Australia and participate in the Australian economy.

6 The instrument provides that Student visa holders who travel to Australia and arrive between 19 January 2022 and 19 March 2022 will be refunded the visa application charge they paid when they applied for their Student visa. The current visa application charge for a Student visa is $630. Dependent visa applicants will also have their visa application charges refunded if they travel to Australia during this period.

7 Working holiday makers who travel to Australia between 19 January 2022 and 19 April 2022 will be refunded the visa application charge they paid when they applied for their Working Holiday Maker program visa. The current visa application charge for a Working Holiday Maker program visa is $495.

8 The instrument specifies that this measures will apply to students and working holiday makers who already have visas, as well as those who are granted new visas, and travel to Australia within this timeframe. Primary and secondary visa holders will be eligible for a refund.

9 There are currently approximately 150,000 Student and 23,500 Working Holiday Maker visa holders offshore who may be able to utilise these measures, as well as new visa applicants who are granted a visa and travel to Australia during the specified period.

Source: LIN22027.pdf and LIN2207-Explanatory-Statement.pdf