Key Points
- As confirmed by the Department of Home Affairs visa processing has never stopped
- Currently, almost 100,000 partner visa applications are being processed by the DOI
- Waiting times for a partner visa are two years in Australia, one year in New Zealand and three months in the UK.
Many people have seen their migration path stop because of the sudden outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the Department of Home Affairs the visa process has never completely stopped, but according to many immigration agents waiting times for visa approvals have become much longer.
It looks like partner visas have been particularly affected by longer waiting times.
According to the Immigration Department's website, the average waiting time for obtaining a visa that falls under this category is currently about two years.
According to Franz Petrozzi, an Italian citizen waiting to be granted a partner visa, this situation has two main negative effects.
"In the short term, all people in my same position have limited job opportunities, while in the longer term, this wait does not allow me to plan my life with my partner because I don't know if I will be allowed to stay in this country".
Over the past few months, the interim Immigration Minister Alan Tudge has been criticised for some of his decisions, such as the establishment of the so-called talent visa or the decision to guarantee entry to Australia to a certain category of Hong Kong residents.
Many people who have been waiting to hear back on their visa application saw this decision as a real preferential treatment dictated by economic or political reasons.
"Personally, I do not find this behaviour fair", said Franz. "The government's decisions have in fact left aside our category, which is the lifeblood of this country", he added.
In addition, the government recently announced that it will introduce a new language knowledge requirement in order to successfully obtain this type of visa.
Starting in November 2020, those applying for a partner visa will have to prove that they have a functional knowledge of the English language, which will be demonstrated by a standardised test or by attending 500 hours of free lessons.
"This requirement only further complicates an already long and complicated process," said Franz.
"The measure seems more aimed at supporting English schools than at improving the integration of migrants," he added.
People in Australia must stay at least 1.5 metres away from others.
Testing for coronavirus is now widely available across Australia. If you are experiencing cold or flu symptoms, arrange a test by calling your doctor or contact the Coronavirus Health Information Hotline on 1800 020 080.
The federal government's coronavirus tracing app COVIDSafe is available for download from your phone's app store.
The federal government's coronavirus tracing app COVIDSafe is available for download from your phone's app store.
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