Highlights
- Delays in visa processing are a lasting impact of the COVID-19 pandemic after resources within the Department of Home Affairs were directed towards enforcing Australia's international border closure.
- A Department of Home Affairs spokesperson has told SBS News it's developing a surge capacity, comprising staff from across the Department and Australian Border Force, to further boost its visa processing capability.
- The department says more staff have been brought in in the past six months, focused on visa processing.
'Trabaho, Visa, atbp.' is a podcast series that features issues and information about migration to Australia every Thursday on SBS Filipino.
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An e-mail has been sent to Australia's Minister of Home Affairs from a Filipino student visa applicant Jinanii Devii Galangco trying to follow up on her application.
It has been 105 days since she lodged it last 31st of March this year through a migration agency.
Speaking to SBS Filipino, Jinanii said she is aware of the delays but there are moments she stresses out on the waiting game.
"Not totally hopeless because I relied on the website as they update information but I just felt down right now because there are grants or results that were delivered after I lodged. Recently there is someone who lodge their application just last June 27 in the VET sector and was already approved. I would understand if they are applying for higher education like a master's degree and so because processing times are faster but this one is also the same VET sector that I have so I really feel down and I felt bypassed," Jinanii explained.
The backlog of applications due to the lasting impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is now prompting direction intervention from the new government.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese addressed the issue at his first meeting of the National Cabinet with state and territory leaders last month.
We have put people from other duties into trying to clear the visa backlog that clearly is something that's required - is necessary and is the easiest way to make an immediate difference.
A Department of Home Affairs spokesperson has told SBS News it's developing a surge capacity, comprising staff from across the Department and Australian Border Force, to further boost its visa processing capability.
That's expected to help to reduce the number of on-hand applications in caseloads identified as a priority by the Government.
Update as of 02 August 2022: Jinanii Devii Galangco's Student Visa has been approved.
