Visa loophole allows immigrants to stay in Australia for YEARS – but some complain they’re left in limbo and unable to get career-type jobs
- More than 10,000 non-residents are waiting for permanent residency visas
- They take three years on average to process, leaving many in limbo in Australia
- Being married to an Australian citizen doesn’t give immigrants the right to stay
- International workers struggle to get career jobs without permanent residency
A visa loophole is allowing immigrants to stay in Australia for years, but some say they are being left in limbo and unable to secure jobs that will give them careers.
More than 10,000 non-residents are waiting for their permanent residency visas to be approved.
It takes an average of three years for a permanent residency visa to be processed, so many immigrants are through the entire range of Australian visa options in order to stay in the country during that time.
Heather Eiswirth has been in Australia for nine years and recently married to an Australian citizen, but that does not give her the right to permanent residency.
More than 10,000 non-residents are in limbo while they waitfor permanent residency visas in Australia. Pictured: tourists arrive in Sydney before borders closed to non-citizens on March 20 this year
‘I came to Australia at 19 on a working holiday visa and spent a year in hospitality waitressing and managing,’ Ms Eiswirth told The Australian.
‘After that, I obtained a student visa and studied event management at a TAFE in Melbourne.’
The 28-year-old was born in Germany and is currently in the country on a 457 temporary skilled migrant visa.
Ms Eiswirth plans to settle with her new husband in Melbourne and is planning to obtain her fifth Australian visa to stay in the country while she seeks permanent residency.
‘Simply getting married to an Australian doesn’t give you the right to stay in the country,’ she said.
Ms Eiswirth is one of thousands of tourists and international graduates in the country without permanent residency, leaving many unable to work in the industry they trained for.
International tourists are required to do farm work in a variety of key industries in order to obtain a working holiday visa in Australia, with tourists on this visa unable to work for the same employer for more than six months.
Some immigrants are working through the entire range of Australian visas to keep themselves in the country for years (stock image)
The coronavirus pandemic has sparked calls to remove restrictions and allow skilled workers to provide assistance in industries with skill shortages such as nursing.
Employers are often reluctant to hire staff without permanent residency in Australia, leaving many qualified international workers at a disadvantage when applying for jobs.
Ms Eiswirth said immigrants struggle to find long-term career jobs without residency in Australia.
‘I’ve been fortunate with my employer, but overall I do think it is harder to find career-type jobs if you are on a visa rather than having permanent residency,’ she said.
International tourists struggle to get career jobs without permanent residency in Australia. Pictured: A traveller leaving Bondi backpackers on April 3