EasiVisa

www.easivisa.com EasiVisa makes migration simple

January 10th 2020

On a warm January morning, as I was heading to the Royal Perth Hospital on a Yellow Cat bus, a smiling senior Noongar lady, accompanied by a younger male friend, hopped on and sat next to me. We started chatting. The lady (who I shall refer to as Jen) explained that she had a keen interest in genealogy and possessed both Noongar and Irish blood. Jen was wonderfully knowledgeable and deeply engaging. I can’t remember enjoying a bus ride so much! As the bus approached Royal Perth Hospital I was sad that our conversation was drawing to a close. We got off the bus together and continued chatting for a few more minutes before heading to our respective appointments. Mine was with a client and Jen’s was with her medical consultant. Jen’s smiling, happy disposition disguised the fact she did not enjoy good health. I handed Jen my business card and said that I would love to continue our conversation one day. I hoped she would keep in touch. Later that day, Jen appeared at our EasiVisa office in West Perth with her young friend and an older chap. I was taken off guard. I hadn’t expected to see Jen quite so soon! Having said that, I was delighted to see her again and welcomed Jen and her friends into our office where a most extraordinary conversation took place. Those three wonderful people, who had experienced enormous social disadvantage in our “Lucky Country” appeared to have amazing insight into what could be done in order to repair the economic, social and environmental fabric of our increasingly sick world. They wanted to help heal our society and our environment. As our fascinating conversation drew to a close, one of Jen’s friends calmly announced “in four weeks’ time, humanity will face a global disaster. The world’s stock markets will crash, businesses will go into liquidation and there will be mass global unemployment. It will take up to 2 years for life to begin to normalize. If you have any shares, I’d suggest that you sell them now!” I explained that I didn’t earn enough to gamble on the stock market. Jen’s friend seemed genuinely relieved. It was an unforgettable conversation that delved deep into the fabric of our existence. I was spellbound by the calm and inherent kindness of Jen and her two friends. AND then along came the coronavirus! The first confirmed case relating to the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia was identified 15 days after my conversation with Jen and her friends. Within four weeks of that conversation, the world was facing a health, social and financial disaster of biblical proportions. Was it all a coincidence? It certainly doesn’t feel like a coincidence! I was glad I had no shares!

10 May 2020

It’s overwhelming how much our lives have changed over the past four months. We are battling a global disaster that some clearly saw coming. Some highprofile world leaders have plunged their countries into chaos by failing to acknowledge the force of the enemy. Other world leaders are doing a significantly better job. Thanks to the tremendous leadership of Mark McGowan, our State Premier, Western Australia is in remarkably good shape. We’ve been hit hard but we are starting to bounce back. Our Federal government and National Cabinet have done us proud! Australia remains the “Lucky Country” in the eyes of the world. As a migrant to Australia, I consider myself incredibly lucky to be living here. According to the newspapers “Coronavirus travel bans are predicted to smash net overseas migration by a massive 85%”. What on earth does this mean? The Department of Home Affairs is continuing to grant skilled visas, employer sponsored visas, partner visas, parent visas and other visas included in our permanent migration program. Once the visa is granted, the visa holder can travel to Australia but will be required to undertake a mandatory 14-day Principal of EasiVisa, Carol-Ann Lynch, shares her experiences as a migration agent during the pandemic panic

quarantine at a designated quarantine facility. We understand this. It’s for our safety. International visitors, however, which includes tourists, working holiday visa holders, international students and prospective marriage visa holders are currently unable to come to Australia unless they have a compassionate or compelling reason to travel here and can obtain an exemption. Exemptions can be applied for online - on the Home Affairs website. On the flip side, large numbers of international visitors and temporary visa holders are now “stuck” in Australia until they can get a flight home. Many are delighted to be able to bunker down in Australia for the next few months and the Federal government has introduced a number of measures to help temporary visa holders remain lawful in Australia if their visa is about to expire or has recently expired. One of these measures is the COVID-19 Pandemic event visa, which is available to people who are in Australia and unable to depart due to COVID-19. They must have 28 days or less remaining on their current visa OR have a temporary visa that expired less than 28 days ago; not be eligible for any other visa based on their intended activities; have evidence of ongoing work and can show that the position can’t be filled by an Australian or permanent resident. These visas are processed quickly and there is no visa fee. This visa can be granted for up to 12 months and can include work rights. Working holiday visa holders currently working in critical sectors, such as agriculture, food processing, health care, aged care, disability care and childcare, must be able to show that they have no other visa options available to them as well as being unable to return to their home country. Other visitors can extend their stay in Australia by applying for a new visitor visa (subclass 600 visa) before their current via expires. Fortunately, there are multiple visa options available depending on individual circumstances. If you are unsure about your visa options, feel free to call our team on 08 9429 8860. Advice to international visitors impacted by the coronavirus travel restrictions is provided completely free of charge. Take care and stay safe!