By Jamie Lingham
With the recent announcement of Australia’s borders reopening (on Feb 21), coupled with other initiatives announced such as working restrictions for Student visa holders and Working Holiday visa holders removed, the projected influx of temporary visa holders may be the reinforcements that Australian businesses need for the post-COVID recovery that has to happen.
Lockdowns, border closures, vaccine mandates, permanent departures, burnout, and a declining participation rate for certain industries have seen Australia come out of the COVID pandemic as perhaps one of the most bruised and psychologically affected countries in the western world. Job vacancies are at an all-time high and human resources and recruitment professionals claim that they have never ‘seen the job market so tight’ and the local war for talent is in full-swing.
Now that the borders have opened to the fully vaccinated (sorry Novak), there is a light at the end of the tunnel for employers and employees who are fatigued from the relentless and frequent changes of laws, conditions and permissions that have taken place in Australia, and throughout the world since the start of 2020, more than two long and surreal years ago.
Now that the government has lifted travel restrictions, they have also offered visa fee refunds for all students and working holiday makers who arrive in Australia between 19 January and 19 April 2022. Hopefully, this and other initiatives introduced recently will help bring much needed help and manpower to a country that needs so much help from those outside of our borders.
For assistance with your current or planned immigration program, please contact one of my awesome team members at Absolute Immigration: aisupport@absoluteimmigration.com
