After Borders Reopen

Immigration Lawyer Sydney

The Australian borders reopened to fully vaccinated Visa holders from the 21st of February 2022. This means business administrators, skilled labourers and tourists will be welcome back to the country. A few unvaccinated individuals will be exempted from vaccination if they have a legitimate medical reason.

This reopening of the borders comes after two years of isolation and severe restrictions. It should help to boost the strained economy by bringing in labourers and some business opportunities. While some workers were brought into the country during lockdown restrictions, having been vaccinated, the numbers were moderate. More people are needed for essential services, including agriculture and transport. The lifting of restrictions should provide considerable help.

There was, understandably, a significant decline in temporary Visas during the pandemic. The local economy has started to pick up as the 80% vaccination target was reached, but the absence of help from foreign workers, skilled and otherwise, has meant that businesses struggle to fill at least some positions.

The Australian Government expects migration to increase to 190 000 in 2023. The migration target after this is 235 000 per year. The migration has actually been negative over the last two years, during the pandemic. But we should not need to compensate for this. The Government will cap permanent arrivals at 160 000, which is the same as pre-pandemic limits.

While we did have lower foreign labour numbers over the past few years there were a significant number of Australians returning to the country. These people did fill some of the positions in the workforce. It remains to be seen if they will remain in Australia or return to their overseas careers.

Immigration Lawyer Sydney

The immigration situation is always complex, even more so during the pandemic. Talk to our immigration lawyer for Visa and residency advice.

Disclaimer: The information in this article is provided for informational purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice and should not be relied upon as such. No individual should take, or refrain from taking, any action solely based on the material contained in this article. While we aim to offer accurate and timely information, we cannot guarantee its accuracy on the date of receipt or in the future. If you require more information or seek relevant legal advice specific to your circumstances, please contact our office.