The Australian Government announced that the validity of the subclass 485, 489, 491 and 494 visas are extended under specified circumstances due to the impact of border closures during the pandemic.
Subclass 485 Visa Extension
For the following cohort, replacement visas will be available and existing visas are extended to 30 September 2022 to allow time to apply for the replacement visa:
- They have been outside of Australia at any time between 01 February 2020 and 14 December 2021;
- They hold or held a 485 visa which would be in effect anytime before 01 October 2022;
- The visa was not cancelled;
- They have not since been granted with another substantive visa.
Relevant family members’ visas will also be extended.
The replacement subclass 485 visa is expected to be available from mid-2022.
Subclass 489 Extension
For the following cohort, their 489 visas are extended for a period of 3 years from their original cessation date:
- They have been outside of Australia at any time between 01 February 2020 and 14 December 2021;
- Held a 489 visa from 01 February 2020 to 14 December 2021;
- The visa was not cancelled.
Relevant family members’ visas will also be extended.
Subclass 491 and 494 Extension
For the following cohort, their 491 or 494 visas are extended for a period of 3 years from their original cessation date:
- They have been outside of Australia at any time between 01 February 2020 and 14 December 2021;
- Held a 491 or 494 visa from 01 February 2020 to 14 December 2021;
- The visa was not cancelled;
- The visa was in effect on 18 February 2022.
Relevant family members’ visas will also be extended.
If you hold any of the above visas, we recommend that you consult an immigration lawyer for advice and migration planning to ensure that you can maintain eligibility for the visa extension and how this transitions to the permanent visa.
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