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HomeAustralia NewsTASMANIA COVID-19 Visa Nomination Information & Updates (June 8, 2020)

TASMANIA COVID-19 Visa Nomination Information & Updates (June 8, 2020)

  • June 8, 2020
  • Posted by: Ali Raza
  • Category: Australia News, News
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COVID-19 Visa nomination information and updates

Due to the rapidly changing COVID-19 situation, some adjustments have been made to the Tasmanian skilled nomination program requirements. Further changes may be required.

All Migration Tasmania visa state nomination program updates will be published here, in the NEWS section of this website.

** Flexible nomination requirements for applicants affected by COVID-19 restrictions

We understand that many people who are intending to migrate to Tasmania are concerned about how the COVID-19 situation will affect their eligibility for state visa nomination.

Consideration will be given to the direct impact of COVID-19 restrictions on visa state nomination applications where applicable.

The COVID-19 pandemic situation remains volatile and future events are very unpredictable. The Tasmanian Government may also introduce further changes to the state nomination program in response to COVID-19 or to align with the skills needs of the state.

You should continue to check this website for any changes before applying for nomination.

Category 1 – Tasmanian Graduate

Students in Tasmania completing online study

Online study with a Tasmanian CRICOS provider completed during the period courses were not able to be delivered on campus will be accepted. Applicants must have been living in Tasmania during this period and must have completed all of their study in Tasmania.

Graduates who have completed study in Tasmania but are unable to return after travelling overseas

Those able to provide evidence a course was completed in Tasmania but who have temporarily left Tasmania and are unable to return due to the COVID-19 restrictions are eligible for consideration. Graduates must show that they were genuinely affected by travel restrictions and intend to return to Tasmania. These applicants must meet all other published requirements for subclass 190 or 491 nomination, including the minimum Tasmanian residence period.

Currently overseas – partially completed course

Remote/online study for applicants who commenced their courses in Tasmania, departed temporarily and have been unable to return to Tasmania due to COVID 19 travel restrictions will be accepted where they have genuinely been unable to return to Tasmania. Applicants must have commenced a course in Tasmania, lived in Tasmania for a minimum 12 months and completed a minimum total of 12 months study on campus.

New enrolments – course commenced outside Tasmania

Applicants studying with a Tasmanian institution but who were unable to arrive in Tasmania due to COVID-19 restrictions so commenced their studies remotely while waiting for restrictions to be lifted will be eligible for consideration if they:

  1. have completed a two-academic-year course and arrived in Tasmania soon after restrictions were lifted, and
  2. have lived and studied in Tasmania for a period of at least 12 months

Courses of one academic year must be completed solely in Tasmania – no period of remote study will be accepted. This includes students who enrolled in one year courses but did not arrive in Tasmania before entry restrictions began.

Each application will be considered individually on its merits and considering the applicant’s skills, background and demonstrated capacity to contribute to and settle in Tasmania. However, completing a prior short period of study online, or in Tasmania once travel restrictions are lifted, will not necessarily give a graduate an advantage in nomination assessment.

Example:

I have enrolled in a one-year course but cannot yet move to Tasmania due to COVID-19 travel restrictions. Will a period of online study completed interstate or overseas be accepted for Tasmanian nomination?

No. Applicants for subclass 491 nomination in Category 1 – Tasmanian Graduate must have completed one academic year (40 weeks) of study in Tasmania and lived in Tasmania for at least 12 months. While applications will be considered on a case by case basis, in general we will only accept online study where applicants had already commenced in Tasmania or the course is longer than 1 academic year. All applicants will be expected to have lived in Tasmania for 12 months to be eligible for nomination.

Graduates who have completed their qualification online or in another jurisdiction may also seek to meet one of Tasmania’s other nomination categories after moving to Tasmania and demonstrating their capacity to settle in and contribute to Tasmania in the long-term, such as the Working in Tasmania or Small Business Owner categories.

Category 2 – Working in Tasmania

Flexibility will be applied to applicants genuinely affected by COVID-19 employment stand-downs before or after meeting the mandatory 6 month full-time employment requirement. Each application will be considered on its merits according to the particular industry, the skills of the applicant, and the likelihood of being able to return to and maintain full-time employment in the future.

In general we will consider the following factors:

  • A minimum 3 months full time employment up to the closure or business /reduction in hours.
  • Full-time employment ceased directly due to a COVID-19 related closedown or restriction.
  • There is a reasonable likelihood of being able to return to employment (full or part-time) after the workplace restrictions have been lifted (ie. a written evidence from employer).
  • Reduction in hours from full-time to part-time as a result of COVID-19 restrictions will be considered favourably.

Updated: 01/06/2020.

** Support for Temporary and Provisional Visa Holders living in Tasmania

On Wednesday 22 April 2020 the Tasmanian Premier Peter Gutwein announced support for Temporary and Provisional Visa Holders currently living in Tasmania. Details of the announcement can be found here.

Additional assistance is available through the Rapid Response Skills Initiative (RRSI) providing assistance towards the cost of training for people who have lost their jobs because they have been made redundant, the place they worked has closed, or the employer had to let staff go. https://www.skills.tas.gov.au/learners/support_for_retrenched_and_redundant_workers

Additional community websites relating to COVID19 assistance listed below:

Updated: 01/06/2020.