Visa application fee rebate for arrivals in the next 8 weeks for student visas and 12 weeks Working Holiday Visas.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced today (19/01/2022) the $630 fee for international students would be covered for the next eight weeks.

He said there are 150,000 international students and 23,500 backpackers with visas and his message was clear – “come on down”.

“We want you to come to Australia and enjoy a holiday here … move all the way around the country,” Morrison said.

Regarding international students, Mr Morrison said he was encouraging them to be back for the start of the university year as a “thank you for choosing Australia”.

“But we also want them to come here and to be filling some of these critical workforce shortages, particularly those who are working and being trained in health care, aged care, those types of sectors, that will be incredibly helpful,” he said.

The government will also give $3 million to Tourism Australia for a marketing campaign targeting backpackers and students.