By Uglobal Staff
Australia’s announcement to reopen its borders later this month has created a wave of excitement among investment immigration industry professionals, with many expecting a boom in business travelers and investors interested in exploring permanent residency and investment options firsthand in the country.
Australian migration agent Mark Welch, founder of Cargil Migration, welcomed the Australian government’s decision to reopen the borders that has been shut to nonresidents since March 2020.
“The reopening will certainly assist investor and business migrants, as well as advisers like myself,” he said.
“It’s the certainty that will enable potential migrants to travel to Australia, to make the connections they need to make educated decisions about where they want to live and what opportunities there are in Australia. It is more than welcome.”
Another registered Australian migration agent Lisa De Leon, who is the director of Australian Visa Options, agreed and added that the move would help renew confidence in the investment immigration market.
“This will make it possible for potential business investors to visit Australia and view investment opportunities in person, also renewing business relationships between investors, migration industry experts, fund managers, and the State and Territory migration teams,” she said.
“It will build renewed confidence in this sector which is hard to establish through long distance communication.”
Immigration queries on the rise in Australia
Welch said he was already seeing an increase in queries from people looking for their investment immigration options in Australia since the announcement was made.
“I have received new queries, and had old queries that have been re-visited in the past 24 to 36 hours,” he said, adding: “The strengthening of certain currencies against the AUD (Australian dollar) has also assisted.”
Meanwhile, De Leon said she was expecting an increase in the business and investment visas.
“We expect the business and investment visa sector to undergo a huge uptake in the coming months as the economy recovers and development returns to Australia,” she said.
“The increased business visa quota numbers will make it possible for a larger number of overseas investors to take advantage of these opportunities.”
Even onshore visas are expected to increase after the borders reopen.
“The previously inaccessible onshore 491 Small Business Owner visas will also experience a boom as more business owners move onshore and become eligible to apply. This option is currently available in Queensland, the Australian Capital Territory and Tasmania,” De Leon added.
Only double vaxxed travelers to be allowed in Australia
Earlier this week, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said only foreigners who have been double vaccinated will be allowed to enter Australia starting from February 21.
Unvaccinated foreigners will only be allowed in if they can prove they have a valid medical reason for not getting jabbed; such travelers would still need to apply for a travel exemption and quarantine at a designated hotel.
"That's the rule. Everyone is expected to abide by it," Morrison said, according to a news report.
While most Australian states will allow vaccinated foreign travelers when borders officially reopen, the Western Australia state is expected to remain out of bounds for all nonresidents as strict COVID restrictions continue to remain in place there.
Australian government needs to do more to market opportunities
Australian migration agents say the government needs to do more to make up for the losses during the pandemic and one way to do that is to better market opportunities to global investors who want to live in the country.
“Like all business, they need to market and communicate the opportunities that Australia can offer to investors and their families,” Welch said.
“Their Global Business and Talent Attraction Taskforce has been a step in the right direction. With the borders re-opening, it's time to reach out to the investor and business market. Australia has comparatively managed the health effects of COVID well. Like all countries it needs to reinvigorate the economy. Immigration will be a significant part of this,” he added.
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