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When will border reopen in Australia for international students

Update: When will border reopen in Australia for international students?

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“When will border reopens in Australia for international students?”

A 40 billion dollar question asked repeatedly by international students, agencies, universities and the state governments.

Since March 2020, Australian borders are closed to everyone except Australian citizens and permanent residents.

It is estimated that more than 100,000 international students are stuck outside Australia since the travel ban was introduced in March.

While many more new applicants are waiting for the borders to reopen so they can finally make their way to study in Australia.

So in this article, we will try to uncover some facts and information we know about the reopening of the Australian borders so far.

First group of international students has arrived in Australia

A group of 63 international students have arrived in Australia eight months after the border closure were annouced in March 2020.

A charter flight from Singapore which landed in Darwin, Australia on 30 November 2020 were carrying the students from 5 different countries including:

  • China
  • Hong Kong
  • Indonesia
  • Japan
  • Vietnam

Students had to go through health screening before boarding the flight in Singapore.

They now will have to serve 14 days mandatory quarantine in Darwin before starting their study at Charles Darwin University.

The students paid the cost of the charter flight and the Charles Darwin University will be paying for the quarantine costs.

Other Pilot Programs to test international student arrival in Australia

As per the Education minister’s request, states and territories were asked to give their submissions for the safe arrival of international students in Australia.

But as reported by The Sydney Morning Herald, none of the states or terriory met the deadline for the international students quarantine plan.

South Australia

Because of the new outbreak of the COVID-19 in Adelaide, South Australian government has paused the pilot program to bring international students.

As per the previous update, Australian government was planning to reopen its border for 300 international students who will arrive in South Australia in early September.

Although, that program was pushed back due to international arrival concerns.

It is now known that students from the selected Asian countries (possibly students from Singapore, Japan, China, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia and Hong Kong) and they will meet in Singapore where a charter flight will take them to Adelaide in South Australia.

The students will be required to do a 14 days mandatory quarantine as per the requirement by Australian Government for returning travellers.

This Pilot program was proposed by 3 South Australian Universities (Adelaide University, University of South Australia and Flinders University).

This program will allow maximum of up to 160 students for Adelaide University, 90 for University of South Australia and 45 for Flinders University.

At the moment, students whose study was interrupted by COVID-19 will be allowed to return to Australia under these pilot programs.

You can find further details about the program here.

New South Wales

NSW’s government is working on their plans to bring international students back in Australia and is expected to give their submission by this week.

Australian Capital Territory

ACT is also expected to handover their plans by this week as well. ACT was one of the first place to propose international students’ arrival in July but the plans got delayed to rise in the number of cases in Victoria.

Norther Territory

After successful implementation of the first pilot project in Australia, NT’s government is planning to put their proposal to Australian Government this week.

Victoria

The plans are underway to work on the proposal submission for bringing international students back safely in Australia.

Queensland

Universities are working on a proposal along with Queensland government but there is no submission to the federal government yet.

Western Australia

There has been no specific timeline given by the Western Australian governement for the return of international students.

Tasmania

Tasmania have not provided any specific deadline as well.

Update on international student’s arrival in Australia

⚠️ Please note that these are the estimates and assumptions used in the budget 2020-21 by the Australian Treasury.

As per the Australian Treasury estimates, released in the Budget 2020-21, it is estimated that Australia’s international borders could reopen in later parts of 2021.

As per treasury, COVID-19 is a once-in-a-century shock economies all around the world. It has reshaped Australia’s economic and fiscal outlook as well.

The budget papers also added that “A gradual return of international students and permanent migrants is assumed through the latter part of 2021, with small, phased pilot programs beginning to return international students from late 2020”.

As per SBS, Better health outcomes in some of Australia’s major trading partners and the successful implementation of international student pilots could allow an earlier return of international students in 2021.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison added that Australia will reopen its border when it is safe to do so.

Treasury also drew out the best case and the worst case scenario of border closures;

  • The Best Case: Large number of international students returning from 1st July 2021 with COVID-19 under control and a vaccine rolled out at the same time.
  • The Worst Case: Rolling breakouts of COVID-19 in Australia will result in strict containment measures which means delay in arrival of international students and tourists.

You can read the full budget documents and overview here.

What’s the situation in Australia?

Update: Victorian government has relaxed some restrictions from 28th September as the COVID-19 cases continue to fall. More details are here.

It has been very challenging times for everyone during this pandemic around the world.

In general, Australia has managed to control the spread of the virus really well with it’s strict lockdown measures.

Most of the states and territories in Australia are reporting very little to no cases over the last few months except Victoria.

The second wave of the Covid 19 in Victoria impacted the planned recovery for the most of the country. It also led to the postponement of the pilot program to bring international students back in Australia.

We discussed about that program here:

Factors that can affect the reopening of Australian borders

Now, how soon or late the Australian borders reopen will depends on few factors like:

  • How the second wave of the Covid situation pan out in Victoria
  • Any further outbreaks in other parts of Australia
  • How quickly the vaccine is ready for this virus
  • How the virus is controlled and managed globally
  • How willing Australian government is to take a risk for the economy to let international students come in from overseas.

There could be some other unknown factors as well which impact the reopening of the borders in Australia as it is a continuously evolving situation.

Estimated time frame for Borders Reopening

We wish we had the crystle ball to predict the exact dates of reopening of the border.

There is no official announcement of the dates of reopening of the Australian borders yet. It is hard even for the Australian Government to predict when the borders might reopen.

However, in one of the interviews, Australian Prime Minister, Scott Morrison mentioned that Australian borders will not reopen at least until the end of the year. It means that we don’t expect the international travel to restart at least until 2021.

Further to add, Simon Birmingham, Australian Tourism Minister have previously admitted that we might be looking around mid next year (July 2021) before the borders fully reopen.

Let’s say, even if the pilot project to bring international students in September 2020 is successful, we still don’t see thousands of other students coming back this year.

There could be a possibility that other states and territories might run similar pilot programs, especially ACT and Queensland before the end of the year.

So it safe to say then that International students can come back to Australia in the first semester of 2021? Well, very hard to predict that too.

What should I do?

Since Australian Government announced some changes to the student visas in July 2020, it is clear that granting of visas to international students will recommence.

It will allow students to travel to Australia when the borders reopen. If you don’t mind studying online from offshore, then you can do that till the time borders reopen.

Also, if you are still planning to apply for studying in Australia and you are in a position to do so, then you might consider to apply for a July 2021 or November 2021 intake to be on the safe side.

That being said again, no one knows how the situation will evolve in the next few months.

So, the best thing is to keep yourself updated with the news from trusted sources like ABC and also Department of Home Affairs.

You can also follow us on Facebook or Instagram as we will post the updates as soon as we get more info over there or sign up for our monthly newsletter.

Well, we hope you got some value from this article and we will keep updating this article as soon as we get further updates regarding that.

Stay tuned!



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Top 15 legit ways to make money online in Australia

Top 17 legit ways to make money online in Australia

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International students can find it difficult to make enough money to pay for tuition, housing and living expenses while studying in the Australia.

Luckily, there are plenty of ways that international students can get paid to do something they enjoy, like writing or coding. This article will explore some of the best ways for international students to make money on the side and how you can get started today.

So here are our Top 17 legit ways to make money online in Australia.

1. Freelancing

First of all, Who is a freelancer? Freelancer is any self-employed person who provides their services to various businesses at one time.

Usually, as a freelancer, you charge your clients on per-project basis. You can charge an hourly rate or you can charge a daily flat rate for the task that you’re completing for your clients.

In short, freelancing means selling your skills and if you have some specific skills, it’s time to utilising and start monetising them.

Some of the most common freelancing work includes:

  • Graphic designing
  • Animation
  • Social media marketing
  • Digital marketing
  • Writing
  • Video editing

As an international student, you may not even realise but you already have one skill that you can start using it right away.

Most of the international students in Australia come from non-English speaking backgrounds so basically you already have an advantage that you have knowledge of some other language apart from English.

If that’s the case, then you can certainly become a freelancer for translation services where you can leverage by start translating things in English or vice versa.

Here are some platforms where you can start looking for some Freelance work:

Also, to get started with work as a freelancer you’ll need skills and an ABN.

If you need to update or get new skills, then we suggest checking the platforms below.

To get an ABN for working as a freelancer, you can check this really popular video:

2. Online tutoring

Since many students are studying online these days, you can start tutoring online.

While many parents are deciding to keep their kids at home in Australia and around the world, getting into online tutoring right now can be really rewarding for you, especially if you already have some skill set in certain areas of study.

Depending upon your skillset, you can teach various subjects like

  • English
  • Mathematics
  • Physics
  • Chemistry
  • Biology
  • IT
  • Designing
  • Accounting

Think about any skills or knowledge you already have and you can start teaching these skills and knowledge to someone else who needs it online now.

These are the specific platforms for online tutoring in Australia:

You can register with these websites and start tutoring online to primary, secondary and senior school kids.

Some other popular platforms include:

3. YouTube

Now, as soon as we mentioned YouTube, some of you might be put off right away because you’ll be like: “I don’t want to be in front of the camera”.

The good thing with YouTube is that you don’t need to be necessarily in front of the camera. You can still show your skills or creating content without appearing in front of the camera.

Read our complete guide on how to become a Youtuber here

Now, if you meet these requirements, then your channel can be monetised by YouTube:

It means YouTube will pay you money for every ad that they run on your YouTube channel. You probably have come across some of these ads when watching YouTube Videos and as annoying as they are, it is really good way to monetise the content for the creators.

Some popular ideas that really work on YouTube include:

  • Gaming
  • Cooking
  • Funny
  • Educational

As a guide, it is important to understand the fundamentals of creating content including YouTube videos, which includes either you are:

  • providing information
  • educating the audience
  • entertain them or
  • all of the above

But we suggest you pick a theme and work on that theme for your YouTube videos.

You don’t need fancy gear or camera or mics or other equipment to get started; a smartphone (you own already, hopefully) will do the job at the start.

Shameless plug: You can subscribe to our YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxGtCA1BbYrkxFpTYHxkobQ?

4. Blogging

If video sounds too hard, then you can consider doing blogging which is about writing content on a specific topic or niche based on your knowledge or expertise.

You can create your own blog using a platform like WordPress and start writing informational content that people may need or the skill set you have.

It will be a good idea for you to learn about some search engine optimisation (SEO) skills before you start blogging, so your content can start appearing on the first page of Google.

If you don’t have any knowledge in SEO, we highly recommend you to take a free course by Google it’s known as Digital Garage – https://learndigital.withgoogle.com/digitalgarage-au

You can monetise your blog by using Google Ads or some other ads platform. You can also accept advertisements or sponsored posts from other publishers once you start getting good traffic.

Now to start off with blogging, you most likely need a

  • CMS like WordPress
  • Hosting: You can sign up here for website hosting
  • Domain name: You can sign up here for your domain name.

It is important to understand that your website will not rank on the first day of launching, so creating content and monetising on the website can take time.

5. Selling physical things online

If you’re a crafty person or if you have some skills in crafts or art or you just create things from home, then you can certainly start selling things online.

Platforms like Shopify and WordPress has made it really easy to start a website and then sell them on these platform without too much of a learning curve.

You can take a short course on how to create an e-commerce website (on YouTube itself) and sell your products or services.

You do not necessarily need to be making these products. You can source them from websites like Alibaba.com or Aliexpress and start selling them online through the platforms we mentioned.

You can sell things online on platforms like:

You can also consider selling them on Facebook Marketplace or Gumtree as well.

They can be a great platform to start with if you want to start selling things online.

6. Selling digital products

If you are not keen to sell physical products, then you can also become a digital product seller.

You can sell your digital products on various platforms and marketplaces online.

For example, if you have some design skills or can learn design skills, then you can create Canva templates and then sell them on a digital platform like Etsy and AppSumo as well.

If you have some software building skills, then you can sell them also on Codecanyon and AppSumo as well.

You can sell things online on platforms like:

7. Affiliate marketing

Affiliate marketing is simply recommending products from some merchants and as soon as someone click on the link provided by the merchant you get bonus or Commission.

Earlier, in point 4, we mentioned about Siteground for your WordPress hosting needs and if you click on that link and go to their website and sign up for the service, we will be compensated by site ground as an affiliate. (No extra cost to you at all for doing this)

So if you had some social media following or you got a YouTube channel or you are a Instagram influencer or just good in sales, then you can certainly start affiliate marketing.

You can start off with affiliate marketing with platforms like:

8. Stock/Crypto trading

You probably have heard about share or stock markets. Haven’t you?!

Stock trading or share market and cryptocurrency trading is another popular way of making money online.

You can basically become a ‘Day trader’ by investing and selling stocks on a daily basis or a long term investor.

There are various local and international platforms for trading stocks and cryptocurrency.

Please be mindful that investing money in the stock market is risky and there is no guarantee that you will make money by trading stocks. You can even lose money. Please do your own research and due diligence before investing.

9. Online Surveys

There are many companies that look to conduct market research for different products, services or brands.

You can sign up for these platforms and start doing surveys and once you have completed the survey you get compensated either in cash or through gift cards.

There are many platforms available for these surveys, and you can do research on what sort of platform is suitable to you also.

Some of the legit survey platforms include:

These survey companies will let you know when the new surveys come up on the platform, and you have to complete those surveys and you get compensated based on that.

10. Podcasting

Podcasting is another popular way to make money online these days. You can find a specific niche that you are interested in or know about and then build your community by producing and marketing your content.

Just like a website, making money by podcasting can take some time but once you have built a decent size audience, then you can approach advertisers for advertising on your podcast.

You can get started with free apps to record your podcast:

You might consider to buy a microphone for a better sound quality. But Anchor app from Spotify, which you can download on your smartphone can help you to record, edit and upload podcasts for Free on your smartphone itself.

11. Consulting

You can work as a consultant to provide advice in your area of expertise. Many people look for various consultants to get help with their business. There is no limits on the type of consultations you can do. You can become a:

  • Career Consultant
  • Lifestyle Consultant
  • Digital Marketing Consultant
  • Social Media Consultant

Please note that some fields might require you to have a licence or a certification to provide advice to others.

12. Social media influencer

If you have lots of people following you on social media and they like what you do, then you can become a Social Media Influencer. As an influencer, you can make money by:

  • Getting a Sponsored Posts
  • Collaboration with Brands
  • Affiliate Commissions
  • Getting a Coffee from the followers

You can sign up for these platforms if you are a social media influencer:

13. Selling Your Photos

Well, we are not talking about your personal photos here (or maybe you can sell them. Hello celebrity!). More specifically, you can sell the professional photos you take for your social media. They must be of high quality though.

Your Instagram feed can actually act as your online portfolio these days. Also make sure to add a watermark to your photos, so people just don’t copy your work when posting on Instagram.

Some of the popular platforms where you can sell your photos are

14. Virtual Assistant

Virtual Assistants or VAs are increasingly becoming important for many online businesses. As fewer businesses consider hiring full-time employees in the near future due to turbulent times, but they still need help with the various tasks.

So they hire VAs who can help them remotely to complete these tasks. Some of the most popular virtual assistant positions include:

  • Customer service and support
  • General Administration
  • Financial management
  • Market Research
  • Moderating groups or Forums
  • Marketing

You can find work as a Virtual Assistant by

  • searching in various Facebook groups
  • reaching out to small businesses
  • using the platforms we mentioned earlier like Fiverr, Upwork or Freelancer

15. Create an online course

Online courses are gaining popularity and becoming a viable way to make money. If you have the right knowledge and skills, you can easily share your skills and knowledge with others and get paid for it.

While there are many online course creators who teach others to learn a skill, there are also many popular online course creators who offer their own product or service as an online course.

Again, based on your skills, knowledge or expertise, you can create an online course and sell that on various platforms. There is certainly no limit on what type of content you can teach (except obviously the illegal ones). From knitting to cooking, coding to designing, marketing to financial, the sky is the limit.

Some of the popular platforms where you can sell your courses include:

But if you want a fully integrated platform for an online course, then you can look into the platform like Kajabi for that.

16. Organise online events and activities

Ever since we have been in the lockdown, many people have been running lots of online events using zoom and other meeting platforms. You can create online events or activities where you can charge people for being part of that event.

If you are good at throwing online parties, online conferences, webinars, then this might be your time to shine. If you don’t want to charge money to the attendees, then you can look for a sponsor for your online event.

You can get started with platforms like

17. Dropshipping

Dropshipping is the process of importing products from suppliers to fulfill orders placed on the company’s website.

This can be a great way to make money online and it’s really simple!

Dropshipping is done by acting as a middleman between customers and suppliers. The company imports products from suppliers and then fulfills orders placed on the company’s website.

There are plenty of drop-shipping providers or suppliers you can work with and sell their products online. You can find the list of some of the dropping suppliers here. https://dodropshipping.com/best-dropshipping-suppliers-in-australia/

Well, these are the Top 16 legit ways to make money online in Australia. We hope you find this information. Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

If you like this article, then you might also find this article about Top 5 Jobs of the future in Australia useful.

Disclaimer

This description may contain links from our affiliates, sponsors, and partners. If you buy these products/services, we may get compensated – but there’s no additional cost to you.

Overseas Students Australia is not a financial or legal advising company. The information presented should not be construed as financial or legal advice. Always do your own due diligence.



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Free student visa application + other student visa updates - Feature image

Free student visa application + other student visa updates

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Free student visa application + other student visa updates

On 20th of July 2020, Alan Tudge, the acting minister for immigration and Dan Tehan, the education minister in Australia released a joint press statement that included the five major changes that they are making to student visas.

Following upon that announcement to the student visa changes, there is a further update on the free student applications for international students.

In this article, we are going to discuss:

✅ What is free student visa application?

✅ Who is eligible for this visa?

✅ How to apply for this visa?

✅ Other Student Visa Updates

What is free student visa application?

This free visa application is one of the major changes announced by Australian Government couple of weeks again.

Australian Government has decided to waive the visa application fee to allow international students to lodge a further student visa application to complete their study.

Basically, students who have been unable to complete the study due to COVID-19 pandemic, will be able to apply for a new student visa at no extra cost, to help them complete their study.

It is a very good initiative by Australian Government and finally some much needed relief for international students.

Who is eligible for this visa application?

There are few requirements to meet in order to be eligible for this visa application:

  1. You must have held a valid student visa on or after 1st feb 2020
  2. You were unable to complete your study due to Covid 19 pandemic

This waiver of the fee will be available to new student visa applications made after midnight 5th August 2020.

Please note: if you didn’t meet these requirements, then you are ineligible to apply for this free visa.

Also, it will only be available to the new visa application and no refunds will be issued to the applications made before 5th August

How to apply for this visa?

In order to get this student visa fee waiver, you will need to apply your student visa and you have to provide an additional form which is to be completed by your education provider.

The form is known as a COVID-19 impacted students (Form no. 1545).

These forms have 5 parts:

1️⃣ Education provider details

2️⃣ Student details

3️⃣ Student visa applicant

4️⃣ Temporary graduate visa applicant

5️⃣ Declaration

Source: https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/form-listing/forms/1545.pdf

Please note that this form needs to be completed and signed by your education provider.

You will be required to submit this form along with your student visa application.

You must apply for this visa online. You can be in or outside Australia when you apply.

If you are ineligible for this visa waiver or fail to submit this form along with your student visa application, then your application could be invalidated and you would be required to submit the new visa application.

Other updates:

In addition to the student visa fee waiver, there were 4 other major announcements, that includes::

👉 Australian government will recommence granting international students visas who are offshore. So this basically means when the borders are reopened international students who already have got their visas sorted they will be able to make arrangements to travel to Australia

👉 Online study undertaken outside Australia as a result of COVID-19 travel restrictions will count towards the Australian Study Requirement for existing and new student visa holders.

👉 Graduates affected by COVID-19 travel restrictions will be able to apply for and be granted a Temporary Graduate visa outside Australia (where they have met all the requirements)

👉 Flexible time-frame to be given to the international students to provide further information for the visa applications. So additional time will be given for applicants to provide English language test results, biometric information and health checks.

For more details on these changes, please check the Department of Home Affairs here.

Again, if you are in a doubt with your specific situation, then we suggest you to check with a registered migration agent for that.



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The ultimate list of student discounts in Australia

The Ultimate List of 35+ Student Discounts in Australia

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As a student, every single dollar counts and saving money is the way to go in student life. So we complied a list of student discounts in Australia that will have to save money on your essentials and other activities.

Here is a list of various retailers, food outlets and other organisations giving student discounts in Australia. At the moment, there are 30 on the list, with more being added regularly. Before we get started though, here is a shameless plug from us:

OSA ISIC Card

OSA ISIC CARD

The OSA International Student Identity Card (ISIC) allows students to get over 150,000 discounts on shopping, travel, and entertainment worldwide. A one-year ISIC virtual membership costs $30AUD but as we love you so much (you know we do, right? 😉 ) so we have got a better deal for you.

Our OSA ISIC costs $36 $29.90 (cheaper than original ISIC Card) and it includes ISIC Extra’s ( which is usually $11 extra). So for less than $2.50 per month, you will get to access standard ISIC deals but additionally, you will get student discounts on your favourite stores like JB Hi-Fi, McDonald’s, Coles, Pizza Hut, KFC and thousands of takeaway and dining options in Australia.

Buy your OSA ISIC card here.

Electronics

1. Apple Student Discount

Apple is one of the most popular tech companies among students in Australia and they do have educational pricing (student discounts) available for students in Australia on most of their popular products like Macbooks, IMac, Ipad and iPhone etc.

Keep an eye on Apple’s special student offer at the start of the uni year, when they offer free headphones when buying a mac or ipad. We have covered the step by step guide on how you can save money on buying Apple products as a student here. (We are sure you will love reading ways to save more money on Apple products there).

2. JB Hi-Fi Student Discount

JB Hi-Fi is one of the most popular electronics store in Australia. They have a dedicated portal on their website for student discounts where you can select the discounted offers and range of other offers for laptops, phones etc. If just want to see all the deal available, then you can click here for that.

Btw, OSA ISIC members get 5% discount on their JB Hi-Fi gift cards. Check here.

3. Amazon Student Discount

In UK, US and some other countries, Amazon has a very generous student offer that include 6 month free trail and further 50% after the trail ends. But at the moment, there is no student discount for the prime membership for students in Australia. We will keep you up to date once the discount is available in Australia. You can check prime membership in Australia here.

4. Officeworks Student Discount

Officeworks provides low prices for all the study and work related stationary, furniture, electronics and pretty much everything you need for work and study. They also run special students discounts using their Back to school or Back to uni campaigns. You can check the all the student discounts and offers here.


5. Harvey Norman Student Discount

Another popular store for your electronics needs as a student is Harvey Norman. They also run promotions for student discounts at the start of the each school and uni semesters. So keep an eye on the special deals. You can visit the dedicated portal for students on their website.

You can further save money by stacking 4% off Harvey Norman eGift Cards if you become OSA ISIC member.

6. Lenovo Student Discount

Lenovo has great deals on student discounts. At times, the student discount can be up to 50% off the retail prices that includes laptops, desktops and accessories. You can check the Lenovo student discount on Lenovo’s website.

7. HP Student Discount

Another popular brand for the students and they have range of electronics on special deals and offers for the students using their dedicated education store here. You must have an edu email to access the student offers.

8. DJI Student Discount

We have a dedicated student discount for DJI products on our website. Get a 10% off on Mavic Mini and other DJI products here.

9. eBay Student Discount

EBay is known worldwide for their lowest prices but from time to time they also launch the exclusive discount codes for the students, where you can save further 10% to 15% off the items purchased on their platform.

10. Catch.com.au Student Discount

One of the biggest online retailers in Australia, catch.com.au sell everything you need, from electronics to groceries, and you can now save up to 15% when you signup here.

11. Huawei Student Discount

Huawei provides latest gadgets like smartphones, wearables, laptops and accessories at very competitive price. For a limited time, you can score up to 15% on various products using this here.

Fashion

12 Iconic Student Discount

Iconic is Australia’s favorite online fashion retailer. They offer a range of fashion clothing and accessories that suit the taste of students. They offer various student offers with up to 50% off regular prices here.

13. Boohoo Student Discount

Boohoo is a popular female fashion retailer with focus on youth fashion apparel and accessories. Unlock 55% off on dresses and shoes by clicking here.

14. Valleygirl Student Discount

Valleygirl focus on the newest trends, styles and looks you see on the catwalks and fashion magazines for the girls and the ladies. Save up to further 10% on your orders at Valleygirl. Check the Student Beans website for details.

15. Specsavers Student Discount

If you need contact lenses or glasses, then look no further than Specsavers. Unlock $100 off Glasses when you buy one pair from the $199 range and above at Specsavers.

You can also get 10% off on your contact lenses as well by clicking here.

16. Temt Student Discount

TEMT offers modern style for fashion savvy young women who value cutting edge design and know what they want. Unlock 10% student discount at TEMT by checking them on Student Beans website.

17. yd. Student Discount

yd. offer trendy, stylish yet affordable clothing for men. So if you are after a casualwear for parties or a formal dress for a work look no further than this popular youth brand in Australia. Get up to 75% off + additional 10% student discount when shopping at yd. through Student Beans.

Phone Plans

18. Telstra Student Discount

Telstra is considered to be the best phone networkin Australia. Telstra offer up to 10% student discount visa their website here. You must have a edu.au email address to access their student discount.

17. Optus Student Discount

Optus gives 10% off to the students via their students hub. You will need to validate your email and choose a plan using the link given above for exclusive student discounts and offers.

18. Vodafone Student Discount

Vodafone is very famous among student community in Australia due to it’s low prices and roaming offers. Vodafone offers not only discounts to the student on their sim plan but roaming and unlimited data pack options as well. Check them out here.

Entertainment

19. Hoyts Student Discount

Hoyts does not specifically provide discount to student anymore but from time to time they offer a generous discount on various websites like Scoopon and Groupon.

You can also get a $12.50 Hoyts standard tickets if you are using Optusperks app. Check more details here.

Hoyts has also introduced a single ticket pricing (one ticket price for all ages) and saver/super saver sessions that run 7 days a week than just Super Tuesdays.

If you are OSA ISIC member, then you can get $14.50 adult tickets and $11.50 child tickets here.

20. Village Cinema Student Discount

Like Hoyts Cinema’s, there are no student discounts available for students at Village Cinema’s as well but you can always use the Vrewards program and get a discounted tickets.

Also, if you are member of some organisations like RACV, then you can get the standard tickets starting at $9 per session for standard tickets

OSA ISIC members get a discount on Village Cinema tickets also. Adult tickets from $15.50

21. Strike Student Discount

Looking for some indoor fun with mates? Head to Strike and get a student discount with $8 bowling sessions from Monday to Thursday before 5pm here.

Strike offers various fun activities from bowling to laser tag, karaoke to Exitus escape rooms – there’s no shortage of fun at Strike’s 14 venues across Australia.

If you would like to get one complimentary FULL PRICED GAME (including shoe rental) for up to FOUR PEOPLE when another FULL PRICED GAME of equal or greater value is purchased, then OSA ISIC card is your best friend. Check the details here.

22. Holey Moley Mini Golf Student Discount

Holey Moley Golf Club – a cocktail bar, mini-golf course, work of art and all-out cool hub rolled into one brilliant venue. Get a $9 mini golf anytime before 5 pm from Monday to Thursday here.

Travel

23. OSA Students Flights & Hotels Discounts

Travelling is one the most popular activity among students. Whether, you are planning to travel interstate within Australia or overseas or just want to go back, we have got your back for that.

Check the latest discounts, offers and deals for student flights, hotels and car rentals from our website here.

24. Flight Centre

Get 10% off your selected airlines and travel with Flight Centre.

Make sure to grab your OSA ISIC card to access this special discount here.

Subscriptions

25. Spotify Student Discount

Spotify offer 1 month free trail to students and then a premium account for a discounted rates at $5.99 per month. You can access this offer from Spotify here.

26. Apple Music Student Discount

Apple has announced a free Apple TV+ plan with any Apple Music Student Plan along with 3 months trail and discounted offer at $5.99 per month. More details are here.

Food

27. Dominos Student Discount

Dominos Pizza needs no introduction, especially when you are a student. Their pizza’s are famous for any catch up with friends. Dominos offer generous discounts to students , you can get up to 33% off your orders when signing up here.

28. Grill’d Student Discount

Grill’d Burgers offer a free drink for students between Monday to Wednesday. You will need to join their reward program to get the Free drink here. They also give free chips after second visit, free drink after your 5th visit and your birthday for joining the relish reward program.

29. Uber Eats Student Discount

Uber Eats is probably one of the most favorite app for students in Australia to order food. Luckily, Uber Eats offer discount when you signup using the existing code/s from the current users. Get $10 off your first Uber Eats order of $20 or more using the link here.

If you want to drive with Uber Eats, then you can sign up here.

30. McDonald’s Student Discount

Some of the best student discounts can be found in McDonald’s app.

But if you want to get a one complimentary CHEESEBURGER when another CHEESEBURGER of equal or greater value is purchased, then check the deal here. (It goes without saying that it is a part of OSA ISIC Card).

31. KFC Student Discount

KFC launches various coupons during the year.

But our OSA ISIC card covers different KFC offers for various cities in Australia. For example, students in South Australia can get One complimentary TWISTER when another TWISTER of equal or greater value is purchased, One complimentary ORIGINAL RECIPE BURGER when another ORIGINAL RECIPE BURGER of equal or greater value is purchased and last but not the least One complimentary KRUSHER when another KRUSHER of equal or greater value is purchased. Details here.

But students in ACT, VIC and TAS gets the following KFC offer: One Complimentary upsize when any Burger Combo, Kentucky Nugget Combo, Original Tenderloins Combo or Twister Combo is purchased. Details here.

Softwares and cloud services

32. Microsoft Office 365

Students and educators at eligible institutions can sign up for Office 365 Education for free, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, and now Microsoft Teams, plus additional classroom tools. Use your valid school email address to get started today here. Make sure your educational institute is eligible for this free access.

33. GitHub Student Developer Pack

This pack gives access to 12 months of free access to GitHub Pro, Partner offers (like 12 months Free Canva Pro + more) and GitHub Campus Expert training for qualified applicants. Check out the pack here.

34. Notion

Notion offers a free Personal Pro Plan for students and educators. This lets you collaborate with unlimited guests and gives you version history. Sign up with your school email address here.

35. JetBrains

Free Educational Licenses for students and educators. The license may be renewed free of charge as long as you are a student or a teacher. Apply here.

36. Other Student Discounts

There are many more discounts on items like health and fitness, fashion, tech, entertainment, food and travel, you can access through OSA ISIC Card. Get your card on overseasstudentsaustralia.com

So these are the top student discounts in Australia for international students. Which one are you looking for? We look forward to your comments below.

If you want to save more money as a student in Australia, then you will definitely want to read on for these 60+ amazing saving tips here.



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The ultimate guide to tax return for international students in Australia - Featured image

The Ultimate Guide to Tax Returns for International Students in Australia

The ultimate guide to tax returns for international students in Australia

An International Student’s life in Australia is not a walk in the park.

As students have to juggle between their study, work and other aspects of life by themselves.

And add taxes on top of that, makes things very interesting to say the least.

So, we are here to make one aspect of life easier by giving the ultimate guide to tax returns for international students in Australia.

Let’s get started.

Important Disclaimer: This information is general in nature and does not constitute any financial advice. If you have specific questions about your tax return, we highly recommend seeking help from a registered taxation agent.

⏱️ What are some basics of Taxes in Australia?

Before we get started, it is important to understand some basic acronyms related to taxes in Australia.

ATO – AustralianTaxation Office

TFN – Tax File Number

ABN – Australian Business Number

BAS – Business Activity Statement

GST – Goods and Services Tax

PAYG – Pay As You Go 

Want to know more acronyms that are commonly used in Australia? Check our article here.

It is also very important to know that Australia’s financial year starts on 1st July and ends on 30th June each year. 

After 30th June, individuals and businesses need to file their tax returns reporting their income and deductions.

The last day of filing your own taxes is 31st October. However, if you are filing your taxes with a registered taxation agent, then you can file it until 15th May next year.

Here is a quick cheatsheet for the basics of taxes in Australia:

💸 What is a difference between working on TFN vs ABN for tax purposes?

If you are going to work in Australia, chances are that you will be using either TFN (Tax File Number) or ABN (Australian Business Number) or both.

The arrangements for working on ABN and TFN are quite different, and their tax implications are different as well. 

Here are some differences for tax purposes between Working on TFN vs ABN:

TFNABN
You work as an employeeYou work as a business or contractor or partner
Your income is considered as an employment income.Your income is considered as business income
You get a payslipYou issue an invoice
Your employer will withhold taxes from your salaryYou need to manage your own taxes with applicable BAS, PAYG and GST arrangements

If you want to know other differences between ABN and TFN, then check this article.

What is the difference between Resident vs Non-Resident for Tax Purposes?

It is also critical to understand your residency status in Australia.

As the amount of taxes you pay will on your income will depend on whether you are considered as a resident or non-resident in Australia.

In short, as a non-resident for tax purposes in Australia, you pay higher taxes.

To be a resident for tax purposes, you must have lived or intend to live in Australia for at least 6 months continuously or met the requirements mentioned below.

🧑‍🎓 Are international students considered foreign or Australian residents for tax purposes?

Luckily, if you are an international student who has come to study in Australia for a course longer than 6 months, then you are considered as a resident for tax purposes.

It means you are paying the same amount of taxes as local Australians. Also, you get benefits of claiming tax-free thresholds, tax offsets and lower tax rates.

However, if your course is shorter than 6 months, and you intend to leave before 6 months, then you will be considered as a non-resident. It means you will be higher amount of taxes in that case.

You can check the difference between the taxes that residents and non-residents have to pay in Australia in the tax tables below.

That’s why it is important to complete your tax withholding form correctly when you get a new job in Australia. You can check this video here for details to avoid mistakes when filling out the TFN Witholding form here.

You can check details about residency status on the ATO’s website.

You can check more details on international students on the ATO’s website.

🤑 Do I need to report my income from my home country?

As an international student in Australia, you are regarded as a temporary resident, so you don’t need to report most of your income you earn overseas, and you will not be taxed on it.

You will only need to report any income you earn in Australia plus any income you earn from employment performed overseas for short periods while you are a temporary resident of Australia.

💻 Do I need to lodge a tax return?

There are 3 most common scenarios for answering this question:

1️⃣ You must lodge a tax return if you have worked a part-time job in Australia and you have earned more than the tax-free threshold ($18,200) during the financial year.

2️⃣ If you haven’t earned more than the tax-free threshold but paid some taxes, then you should lodge a tax return for getting a refund for the taxes paid.

3️⃣ If you haven’t earned more than the tax-free threshold, and you didn’t pay any taxes, you may not need to lodge a tax return but you may still need to advise ATO (Australian Taxation Office) about the non-lodgment.

It is lodged to let the ATO know that you don’t need to lodge the tax return for this year. You will need to complete non-lodgment advice which can be done online through a myGov account.

You can also check a tool on ATO’s website for finding out if you need to lodge a tax return or not.

📅 What is the last date to lodge a tax return in Australia?

The last date of lodging the tax return in Australia is 31st October.

If you are doing your own tax return, you will need to complete and lodge it any time between 1st July to 31st October.

However, registered tax agents have a special lodgment program and can lodge the tax return even after the 31st October deadline as well.

📃 What do I need to file my tax return?

In order to lodge your tax return to Australia as an international student, you will need few things:

✅ TFN – You need to have your tax file number to file your taxes.

✅ ABN – If you worked as a contractor, then you need an Australian Business Number.

✅ Payment Summaries – These summaries are usually issued by your employer at the end of the financial year for all the income you earned and taxes withheld from it. These days you may not get these summaries as employers provide the information directly to ATO. So when you lodge your own taxes or with a tax agent, then it appears automatically in the income section.

✅ Invoices – If you issued any invoices for your business, then you need to have them ready.

✅ Receipts, Invoices – If you have any work-related expenses that you are going to claim in your tax return, you will need them.

✅ Photo ID – If you’re getting taxes done from an accountant, you will also need to bring some sort of ID like your passport or your driving license.

💵 What types of income are included in my tax return?

It is important that you report any taxable income that you earn during the financial year in your tax return. Some of the common types of income that international students report might include (but are not limited to):

👉 Wages and salaries from part-time jobs

👉 Income earned as a contractor

👉 Business income

👉 Bonus or commission earned

👉 Government payments / allowances

👉 Non-government scholarships, grants or awards

👉 Bank Interest

👉 Other investment incomes like shares, cryptocurrencies etc.

🧾 What type of expenses can I claim as a deduction?

You can claim your work-related expenses as a deduction in your tax return. Here are some examples of expenses that you might be able to claim in your taxes (but not limited to):

👉 Uniform and laundry expenses

👉 Travel between the jobs (not including commute from home)

👉 Work-related phone and internet expenses

👉 Home office expenses

👉 Cost of managing tax affairs (eg. tax accountant fee)

👉 Union fees

👉 Charitable donations

It is very important that you keep records like receipts, invoices etc. of all the expenses you make during the year. If you don’t keep the appropriate records to substantiate your claims, then you can face penalties if you get audited by the taxation office.

🩺 Do I need to pay a Medicare levy?

The Medicare levy helps fund some of the costs of Australia’s public health system known as Medicare. The Medicare levy is 2% of your taxable income, in addition to the tax you pay on your taxable income.

As an international student, you don’t need to pay a Medicare levy as you are not entitled to Medicare benefits in Australia.

To get an exemption from paying Medicare levy, you will need to apply for a Medicare Entitlement Statement from Services Australia here. This statement will tell you the period you were ineligible for Medicare.

It can take a few weeks to get this statement, so we suggest you apply for this nice and early.

🤔 How are the taxes calculated?

Your income tax you need to pay will be based on how much income you earn in a financial year.

Australia uses a progressive tax system, which means the more you earn, the more taxes you pay.

In order to calculate your taxes, you need to use a very simple formula: 

Income from all sources (like salary, business, interest, investments)

Minus work deduction (like work related expenses for car, mobile, uniform, home office etc.)

Equal to taxable income 

Income – deductions = taxable income

How to calculate your taxes in Australia as an international student

Based on your taxable income, you might be liable for medical levy (which is 2% of taxable income).

As many international students are not entitled to medicare in Australia, they don’t have to pay the medicare levy.

But they need to apply for a Medicare levy exemption certificate from Services Australia before filing their tax returns.You can apply for it from here. 

As mentioned earlier, Australia uses a progressive taxation system, which means higher income earners get taxed at higher rates.

Check the tax table below to see how much tax residents have to pay in Australia based on their income. 

Resident Tax Table 2024-25

Taxable IncomeTax On This Income
0 to $18,200Nil
$18,201 to $45,00016c for each $1 over $18,200
$45,001 to $135,000$4,288 plus 30c for each $1 over $45,000
$135,001 to $190,000$31,288 plus 37c for each $1 over $120,000
$190,001 and over$51,638 plus 45c for each $1 over $190,000
The above rates do not include the Medicare levy of 2%.

Resident Tax Table 2023-24

Taxable IncomeTax On This Income
0 to $18,200Nil
$18,201 to $45,00019c for each $1 over $18,200
$45,001 to $120,000$5,092 plus 32.5c for each $1 over $45,000
$120,001 to $180,000$29,467 plus 37c for each $1 over $120,000
$180,001 and over$ 51,667 plus 45c for each $1 over $180,000
The above rates do not include the Medicare levy of 2%.

Non-Resident Tax Table 2024-25

Taxable incomeTax on this income
$0 – $135,00030c for each $1
$135,001 – $190,000$40,500 + 37c for each $1 over $120,000
$190,001 and over$60,850 + 45c for each $1 over $190,000

Non-Resident Tax Table 2023-24

Taxable incomeTax on this income
$0 – $120,00032.5c for each $1
$120,001 – $180,000$39,000 + 37c for each $1 over $120,000
$180,001 and over$61,200 + 45c for each $1 over $180,000

You can check all the current and previous tax tables here.

You can get more information from the ATO’s resources in various languages here.

Any example for calculating taxes in Australia?

Finding it complicated?

Let’s explain it with an example: 

We are using the following tax rates and thresholds for calculating the tax in these scenarios below:

  • 0% tax on income up to $18,200
  • 19% tax on income between $18,201 and $45,000
  • $5,092 + 32.5% tax on income between $45,001 and $120,000

Scenario 1: 

John is an international student (resident for tax purposes) who earned $17,000 in the current financial year.

As his income is below the $18,200 threshold, his estimated tax will be $0.

Scenario 2: 

Same John has a taxable income of $33,000 in a financial year, his estimated tax will be $2,812.00

It is because the first $18,200 is tax-free and then for the rest of $14,800 ($33,000 – $18,200)

He will be paying $14,800 x 19% (19c) = $2812.00

Scenario 3: 

John earned a taxable income of $55,000 in a financial year; his estimated tax will be $8,342.00.

Please note that these are estimated numbers only, and do not include any medicare levy and/or offset John might be eligible for.

Speak to a registered taxation agent for more details about your circumstances.

🤷‍♀️ How to lodge my tax return?

You can file the tax return at the end of the financial year. Usually, your employer will provide you with a payment summary (PAYG summary) that will summarise all the income you have earned during the year and tax deducted from your salary.

You will use this document to lodge your taxes. Sometimes, this information is also pre-filled in myTax already.

After you lodge your tax return, the ATO will review the information, process your tax return and send you a notice of assessment. If you are entitled to a tax refund, they will also send that to you.

There are various methods of lodging your tax return:

1️⃣ DIY (Do it yourself)

You can file your own tax return using My Gov account. It is free to do it and if your tax return is not complicated, then you could choose to do it yourself.

We have a complete video on how to lodge your tax return yourself with an example below.

2️⃣ ATO Tax Help Program

You can also use the ATO’s Tax help program, which runs during the tax season. You need to meet some condition in order to be eligible for this program. 
Check the eligibility requirements below. More details on the program here.

3️⃣ Registered Tax Agents

If you are unable to lodge the taxes yourself or your tax return is complicated with ABN income etc., then you might choose to use the services of registered tax agent in Australia.

You need to make sure that you bring along all the required documents (discussed below) in order to help them lodge your tax return.

The registered taxation agent not only helps you in lodging your tax return but also helps to work out the best work deductions you can claim to maximise your tax refund.

Check the step-by-step guide on how to lodge your taxes as an international student below:

⏳ How long does it take to get a tax refund back?

Usually, the ATO is very quick with the turnaround of your tax return.

Usually, you can expect to get your tax refund back in your bank within 2 weeks of lodging your tax return online.

If you lodged your tax return using a paper return, then it can take up to 10 weeks to get your refund back.

Please keep in mind, if ATO has some suspicion for the tax return lodged, it may take even few months to process it.

💻 What is the easiest way to lodge the tax return in Australia?

It depends!

If you are comfortable doing the tax return yourself, then lodging the tax return using myTax through My Gov account is the easiest way to go.

However, if your tax return is complex, and you don’t want hassle to lodge the tax return yourself, then seeking professional advice might be the easiest way to lodge your tax return.

🛑 What happens if I don’t lodge my tax return?

If you have earned taxable income, and you don’t lodge the tax return in time, then you can potentially face penalties, and it can also have an impact on your future visa applications.

ATO can even apply penalties even where there is no tax payable. So we highly recommend you lodge your taxes in time.

😀 Will I get all my taxes back?

Now there is a bit of misconception about this question in the international student community.

Many international students usually earn less than the tax-free threshold ($18,200) so they usually get all the taxes back during the year.

But, if your taxable income is more than the tax-free threshold ($18,200) in a year, you may not get all your tax back as you may need to pay some taxes based on the income you have earned.

In Australia, we have a progressive income tax system. This means that as you earn more money, you will need to pay more in taxes.

Any other useful tips when lodging a tax return in Australia?

Here are some quick tips if you are filing your tax return:

  • Keep a record of all your income and work-related expenses
  • Claim what are you entitled to for deductions
  • Don’t claim your personal expenses
  • Be aware of the changes coming in the tax season
  • Be patient after filing your taxes ATO try to issue a refund as quick as possible

Listen to the ATO assistant commissioner’s word in the video below.

ℹ️ Where can I get more help?

If you need further information regarding taxes or tax return, then you should check the ATO (Australian Taxation Office) website.

Also, to know more about taxes and superannuation, check our guide for that here.

We hope this guide about tax return for international students in Australia helps you in claiming your tax refunds back. All the best with your taxes.



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What are my options after graduation in Australia? feature

What are my options after graduation in Australia?

,

What can I do after finishing my study in Australia? What are my options after graduation in Australia? These are some common questions that come in the mind of many international students in Australia who are nearly completing their study.

So in this article, we are going to explore 7 options after completing your graduation in Australia.

Option 1: Continue your further study in Australia

The first option for you is to continue your further studies. Many students after finishing their degree in Australia decide to continue their studies here. For example, you are completing your Bachelor Degree, then you can continue their Master’s Degree in Australia.

Obviously, students are already familiar with the Australian education system so it’s much easier for them to continue their further study.

Things you need to keep in mind before continuing your studies:

🟢 You may need to apply for a new student visa as your old student visa might be expiring. So if you need to apply for a new student visa application before the current visa expires.

🟢 You would also need to apply for the course that you would like to study. Even if you plan to study in the same institution or maybe if you want to study in a different institution or in a different city or state.

🟢 You may have to provide evidence for enough funds for your further studies.

🟢 You will also need to renew your OSHC (Overseas Students Health Cover) insurance.

If you don’t want to study further you can always look for other options.

Option 2: Travel around Australia

Australia is a beautiful country and if you like to have some confirmation for that, here is some proof of that.

So many international students after their graduation in Australia, like to take some break and travel around Australia. As most of the international students are quite busy while they are studying and working during their student visa, it’s a good idea to travel around and explore this country further.

International students can apply for a Visitor Visa (subclass 600) that allow them to stay up to a maximum of 12 months in Australia for travel purposes. Please note that you can not work on a tourist visa in Australia.

Option 3: Complete a professional year

If you have completed an accounting, engineering or IT related degree, then you can seek to obtain professional work experience. International students from these streams can apply for a professional year program.

This program can be really beneficial to learn how Australian workplaces operate and getting some work experience, which is a part of the program and can be further helpful in applying for your permanent residence

Additional 5 points can be claimed toward your permanent residence visa after successfully completing the professional year in Australia.

Option 4: Apply for a working holiday visa

If you are between the age of 18 to 30 years old and if you have a passport from one of the eligible countries you can apply for a work and holiday visa or a working holiday visa.

Working holiday visa can let you stay and work for 12 months and if you like, you can apply to extend it for a further 12 months. You must not be accompanied by dependent children. Check the list of eligible countries on Department of Home Affairs website.

This visa allows you to stay in Australia and work and travel at the same time. There are 2 different types of working holidays visas (subclass 417 & 462) available to apply for the people from eligible countries.

🟢 Working Holiday (subclass 417) visas are open to people who hold a passport from Belgium, Canada, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Republic of Ireland, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Taiwan or the United Kingdom.

🟢 Work and Holiday (subclass 462) visas are open to people who hold a passport from Argentina, Austria, Chile, China, Czech Republic, Hungary, Indonesia, Israel, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Peru Poland, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Thailand, Turkey, the United States, Uruguay or Vietnam.

Option 5: Apply for a temporary graduate visa

The next option is to apply for a temporary graduate visa (subclass 485). This visa allows international students who studied in Australia for at least 2 academic years to stay and work in Australia after finishing their studies.

This visa has two streams:

🟢 Graduate work stream – Graduate work stream allows students to gain valuable work experience and improve their English skills while they are working on their application for the skilled independent visa. It usually lasts for 18 months.

🟢 Post-study work stream – Post-study work stream is for those students who don’t want to stay in Australia permanently and would like to work after studying in Australia. This visa usually lasts from 2 to 4 years depending on the courses students have completed.

The duration of this visa will depend on your level of qualification:

🟢 Diploma or trade qualification – 18 months

🟢 Bachelor’s Degree (with or without Honours),

🟢 Master’s Degree by Coursework – 2 years

🟢 Master’s Degree by Research – 3 years

🟢 Doctoral Degree – 4 years

From November 2019, students who are planning to study in regional area universities will be eligible to access an additional 1 to 2 years in Australia on a post-study work visa. You can check more details on this here.

Option 6: Apply for a permanent visa

If your study was in the nominated skilled occupation list, then you might be eligible to apply for the Australian Government’s skilled migration program which can help you achieve permanent residence and citizenship in Australia.

One of the key benefits of studying in Australia is that it has a very attractive migration program and it gets millions of applicants every single year to meet its shortage in certain skills and areas.

After completing your studies, you are usually eligible to apply for one of the following visas:

🟢 Skilled Independent Visa (subclass 189)

🟢 Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186)

🟢 Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional Visa (subclass 494)

🟢 Skilled Work Regional Visa (subclass 491)

Some of these are skilled independent visas where you can apply without any sponsorships, regional sponsored migration scheme where an employee can sponsor you in the regional area or employer nomination scheme where any employer you are currently working for can sponsor you.

Applying for permanent residency is not an easy task, so we suggest you check the Department of Home Affairs website for detailed information.

Also, if you are unsure about how you should proceed to apply for a permanent residence visa, then consider using the services of a registered migration agent for your visa application.

Option 7: Return back home

Last but not least you can always return back to your home country. If you don’t want to work in Australia or travel after your studies, then it’s time to pack up your bags, leave Australia and return back home.

Although it can be tough after living in Australia for so long to return back to your home country. Many international students succeeded in their career after returning back to their home countries as well.

If you are planning to move back to your home country, make sure to plan ahead and sell bulky items to avoid expensive shipping. You should also look into cancelling your utilities and paying off your bills before leaving. Also, make sure to join your institute’s Alumni to keep in touch with your fellow alumni.

So these were some of the options for international students after completing their studies in Australia. What are you planning to do after your graduation in Australia? We look forward to your comments below.

Disclaimer: Please note the information provided in this article is general guidance and does not constitute legal advice. Your circumstances could be different, so we suggest you consult a registered migration agent to discuss your situation.



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