Early this year, the Australian Government announced a VAC Refunds Scheme in the hopes to attract around 150,000 students and 23,500 backpackers who are still outside Australia, to help fill critical worker shortages.
Fully vaccinated Student (Subclass 500) or Working Holiday Maker (Subclass 417 or 462) visa holders who travelled to Australia within the specified period, will be eligible for a refund of their first instalment of the visa application charge (VAC).
For Students, you are eligible for a VAC refund if:
- you hold a valid Student visa (subclasses 500, 560, 571, 572, 573, 574 or 575); and
- travelled to Australia on that visa between 19 January 2022 and 19 March 2022.
For WHM visa holders, you are eligible for a VAC refund if:
- you hold a valid Working Holiday Maker visa (subclasses 417 or 462); and
- travelled to Australia on that visa between 19 January 2022 and 19 April 2022.
If you meet these eligibility criteria, you must make a claim using the Department’s Students and WHM refunds form. You will need to have your passport, Transaction Reference Number (TRN) for student visa holders, and bank account details.
You do not need to lodge your claim immediately.
NOTE: The Department has received a large volume of claims for refunds under this incentive. They are processing claims in the order received.
Make sure to only lodge one claim and attach the correctly completed requested documents so the Department can process it quicker. You can make a claim any time up until 31 December 2022.
The visa fee refund is expected to help these visa holders even just a little as they have been paying a lot of fees due to the pandemic.
If you’re outside Australia and want to study here, visit friends or family or even just come for a holiday after such a crazy 2020 and 2021, our team is ready to help you with your visa application!
Send us a message for a free quote or call +61 8 9463 6624
The information provided is for general use only and should NOT be taken as Migration Advice. For information about your circumstances, please contact Milestone Migration for immigration assistance.
