Australia's Covid-era visa to be discontinued from next year. Check dates, other details

livemint.com:

Australia's Covid-era visa will be stopped from the beginning February 2024, the government announced recently. Announcing the same in a statement, Home Affairs Minister Clare O'Neil and Immigration Minister Andrew Giles said, "From February 2024, the visa will be closed to all applicants. This will provide certainty to our visa system now that the circumstances that drove the operation of the visa no longer exist." In 2020, Australia introduced the Pandemic Event visa (subclass 408) to aid stranded international students and address labor shortages amid pandemic-induced border closures.

This visa allowed a 12-month extension for expiring visas and multiple entries. Presently, existing visa holders can extend for six months at AUD405, staying lawful until expiration. However, starting February 2024, the visa will no longer accept new applications and will be completely discontinued, according to an official press release.

"The Pandemic Event visa was an important part of Australia's visa system during the pandemic. Many people on temporary visas helped Australia during this period," Mr Giles said in a statement. "We're providing an opportunity for people who hold a Pandemic Event visa to explore another visa option, or plan to leave Australia," he added.

The Australian government also said that people who were not eligible for another visa would have to leave the country. "This will provide certainty to our visa system now that the circumstances that drove the operation of the [Pandemic Event] visa no longer exist," a statement said. In a recent government move, international students are now subject to a work-hour cap of 48 hours per fortnight, as of July 1.