AUSTRALIAN BORDER CLOSURE
If you were incompetent to travel to Sydney, Australia owing to the closure of the Australian border from Feb 2020, you may still claim Sydney Matrix points from that date if you encounter the following criteria:
ACT Nomination residence:
- Individuals may claim Matrix points for the entire period you were overseas if you were residing in Sydney before your departure or
- Individuals may claim Matrix points from the date you commenced online study at an ACT tertiary institution.
ACT Nomination Study
You may claim matrix points for the period you studied online at an ACT tertiary association.
You must return to live in Sydney by March 2022. Individual should still encounter the minimum ACT employment eligibility criteria before you can submit the Matrix.
If individuals are asked to apply for ACT 190 / 491 nomination, a request for a COVID-19 impact on Sydney, concession must be in writing, attached to the application, and evidenced by the following documents:
- An International Movement Record (IMR)
- Evidence that you were residing in Sydney before your departure (if applicable)
- Authorization from the ACT tertiary institution that your studies commenced or continued online while you were offshore.
All candidates for ACT 491 / 190 nomination must encounter the eligibility criteria at the date of Matrix submission. However, candidates impacted by COVID-19 impact on Sydney can appeal a waiver of the continuous employment eligibility criteria in the following circumstances:
14-day self-isolation requirement
- If individual, have to self-isolate for 14 days due to COVID -19, you can request a waiver of the continuous employment criteria.
- Individual should still meet the 3 or 6 months employment criteria (either before or after the self-isolation period) at the date of Matrix submission.
- ACT nomination business reduced / closure working hours
- If your work hours are reduced, you are requisite to take unpaid leave, or if you have lost your work due to the COVID -19 impact on an ACT nomination business, you can request a waiver of the continuous employment criteria.
- A waiver request must include a written statement from the employer confirming the period (end and start dates) of the business closure or reduced working hours, or when your employment ceased.
- Individual should still meet the three or six months employment criteria before a 491 / 190 Matrix can be acquiesced. Though, every week worked that encounters the 22 / 36 hours per standards, whichever during, before, and after the COVID -19 impact on ACT nomination business, can be counted near the period of claimed employment at the date of matrix submission.
- Return to work
- An Individual should return to work and have worked for at least one full pay period (at the required 22 / 36 hours PW) at the date the Matrix is acquiesced (evidenced by payslips and transaction history).
- Request for waiver
- If individuals are requested to apply for ACT 491 or 190 nomination, any request for a COVID -19 waiver should be in writing attached to the application, and evidenced by supporting documentation.
