From Friday 14 May the criteria for the ‘COVID visa’ (subclass 408) has been expanded so that tourism and hospitality are now considered ‘critical sectors’.
This means that those with employment in the tourism and hospitality sectors can be granted a subclass 408 visa for up to 12 months, instead of the previous limit of up to 3 months.
A second change has been made so that all people can apply for the subclass 408 visa within 90 days of their visa expiring, rather than the previous requirement of applying within 28 days.
I have applied for my subclass 408 visa and am still waiting for a decision. Does this affect me?
The new critical sector rules apply to subclass 408 visa applications that are still waiting for a decision. This means if you have put forward an employer in the tourism or hospitality sectors as part of your subclass 408 visa application, you may be eligible for a visa of up to 12 months.
What are all the current critical sectors relevant for the subclass 408 visa?
The current list of critical sectors for the subclass 408 visa include:
- agriculture
- food processing
- health care
- aged care
- disability care
- child care
- tourism
- hospitality
We note the above is information only and is not legal advice. The information above is current as at the time of publishing and we continue to publish new information as the coronavirus pandemic evolves. We recommend you speak to one of our migration lawyers for a free 10 minute phone or video call to discuss your temporary visa situation.