莫里森政府正在对学生签证安排进行一些更改，以确保随着澳洲在COVID-19之后脱颖而出，仍然是国际学生的优先留学目的地。
国际学生对澳大利亚和澳洲经济极为重要，每年贡献400亿澳元并支持25万个工作岗位。许多人还继续移民澳大利亚公民。虽然关闭国际边界对澳洲成功减缓冠状病毒的传播至关重要，澳大利亚一直是这方面的领导者，但它给本地和海外的教育部门和学生带来了挑战。
这五项签证变更将确保国际学生的状况不会因冠状病毒大流行而恶化，并且澳大利亚仍将与其他国家相比保持竞争力。
更改包括：
·政府将开始在澳大利亚境外的所有地点发放留学生签证。这意味着当边境重新开放时，学生将已经获得签证并能够安排旅行；
·如果国际学生由于COVID-19而无法在其原始签证有效期内完成学业，则可以免费再次提交学生签证申请；
·由于COVID-19，目前在澳大利亚境外在线学习的学生签证持有人将能够使用该段学习经历满足澳大利亚对留学生毕业工签的2学年学习要求；
·持有学生签证的毕业生如果因COVID-19而无法返回澳洲，则有资格在澳大利亚境外申请毕业工签485；
·如果COVID-19而使得学生无法尽早参加雅思托福PTE等英语考试的，申请人将有更多时间延期提供英语成绩；
澳洲移民，公民，移民服务和多元文化事务执行大臣艾伦·塔奇（Alan Tudge）表示，这些变化为已经在澳大利亚和因COVID-19边境关闭而无法旅行的国际学生提供了保证。
塔吉先生说：“这些措施有助于国际教育部门（我们的第四大出口部门）复苏。”
“在进行这些更改时，我们一直遵循以下原则：澳大利亚人的健康是关键，但国际学生不应再因COVID-19而处于不利地位。
“我们是一个热情的国家，拥有世界一流的教育系统，并且是世界上COVID-19的最低比率。学生想在这里学习，我们希望在安全的情况下以安全且谨慎的方式欢迎他们回来。
“这样做不仅将支持教育部门，还将对许多当地社区和企业产生持续影响，包括住宿服务，旅游，酒店和零售。”
教育部长丹·特汉（Dan Tehan）表示，这些变化将使国际学生对签证安排充满信心，以便他们可以在安全的情况下制定在澳大利亚学习的计划。
Tehan先生说：“我们在控制病毒传播方面的出色努力意味着，一旦国家边界重新开放并且面对面的学习得以恢复，我们就可以以应对COVID安全的方式欢迎国际学生。”
“除了支持工作就业，国际教育还建立了我们与世界其他地区的联系，并为许多关键行业提供了支持，例如健康，老年和残疾护理。”
政府先前放宽了COVID-19大流行期间在卫生，老年和残疾护理领域工作的国际学生的工作限制。在COVID-19大流行阻止国际学生满足签证条件（例如无法亲自上课）的情况下，它也变得灵活。
以下是今天的澳洲政府通知全文：
英文原文如下：
Supporting international students to support Australian jobs
The Morrison Government is making a number of changes to student visa arrangements to ensure Australia remains a priority destination for international students as we emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic.
International students are extremely important to Australia and our economy, contributing $40 billion annually and supporting 250,000 jobs. Many also go on to become great Australian citizens.
While the closure of our international borders has been critical to our success in slowing the spread of the coronavirus, and Australia has been a leader in this regard, it has presented challenges to the education sector and students, both here and offshore.
These five visa changes will ensure international students are not worse off due to the coronavirus pandemic and that Australia remains competitive with other countries.
The changes include:
· The Government will recommence granting student visas in all locations lodgedoutside Australia. This means when borders re-open, students will already have visas and be able to make arrangements to travel.
· International students will be able to lodge a further student visa application free of charge, if they are unable to complete their studies within their original visa validity due to COVID-19.
· Current student visa holders studying online outside Australia due to COVID-19 will be able to use that study to count towards the Australian study requirement for a post-study work visa.
· Graduates who held a student visa will be eligible to apply for a post-study work visa outside Australia if they are unable to return due to COVID-19.
· Additional time will be given for applicants to provide English language results where COVID-19 has disrupted access to these services.
Acting Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs Alan Tudge said the changes provide assurance to international students already in Australia and those who haven’t been able to travel due to COVID-19 border closures.
“These measures back the international education sector – our fourth largest export sector – and will assist its recovery,” Mr Tudge said.
“In making these changes, we have been guided by the principles that the health of Australians is key, but that international students should not be further disadvantaged by COVID-19.
“We are a welcoming nation with a world-class education system and some of the lowest rates of COVID-19 in the world. Students want to study here and we want to welcome them back in a safe and measured way when it is safe to do so.
“Doing so will not only support the education sector, it will also have flow-on effects for many local communities and businesses, including accommodation services, tourism, hospitality and retail.”
Minister for Education Dan Tehan said the changes would give international students confidence in their visa arrangements so they can make plans to study in Australia when it is safe to do so.
“Our remarkable efforts in controlling the spread of the virus mean we can begin to welcome back international students in a COVID safe way once state borders re-open and face-to-face learning resumes,” Mr Tehan said.
“As well as supporting jobs, international education builds our connection to the rest of the world and supports a number of critical industries like health, aged and disability care.”
The Government has previously relaxed work restrictions for international students working in the health, aged and disability care sectors during the COVID-19 pandemic. It has also been flexible in cases where the COVID-19 pandemic has prevented international students meeting their visa conditions, such as not being able attend classes in person.
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