Ep4: Ryan from England

In this episode of the Journey to Oz Podcast we speak to Ryan about his path from a young backpacker to now Australian-citizen. Ryan is also the Director of Creative Natives, a creative, digital, and marketing recruitment agency. He gives an invaluable insight into gaining employment and changing careers in the work-from-home and post-lockdown era. Ryan's journey of how he strived for Australian Permanent Residency by gaining last-minute employer sponsorship is one that shares many parallels with striving to secure a new job or a change in careers. We also provide legal context as to what a "backpacker" visa is, and what sectors benefit from the Working Holiday Visa program. 

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The Journey to Oz Podcast is produced by: 
Nick Hansen from Hansen Migration 
MARN: 1679147
www.hansenmigration.com.au

Evan Bishop from Worldly Migration
MARN: 1679414
www.worldlymigration.com

Please visit either of our websites to book a free consultation. 

Any information discussed in this podcast is made available for entertainment purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional advice. We do not make any guarantee or accept any responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of any of the information discussed. The laws of Australia can change without notice and we do not have a duty or obligation to update any information. Listening to this podcast does not mean you have an agent to client relationship with Hansen Migration or Worldly Migration or any associated Migration Agents, lawyers or other service providers. You should obtain advice from a Registered Migration Agent or an Immigration Lawyer before acting on any of the content discussed in this podcast. You can find a list of Registered Migration Agents by visiting www.mara.gov.au. 

The information contained within this podcast may not be reproduced without our prior written consent. 

In the spirit of reconciliation, we acknowledge the traditional custodians of land throughout Australia and pay respect to their elders, we extend that respect to all aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders today. 

Thank you for listening. 

Transcript

Nick (00:00):

Welcome to Journey to Oz. The podcast where we share migration stories from overseas to Australia. We are both registered migration agents, Evan who specializes in employer sponsor visas, and myself, Nick who specializes in family visas. Evan, you interviewed Ryan Kelly from Creative Natives who into Australia as a backpacker and secured a last-minute employer sponsorship as a recruiter. Fast forward to today and Ryan now runs his own recruitment agency and recently celebrated obtaining Australian citizenship. I imagine this episode is not one to be missed for those looking to secure employment or a changing career.

Evan (00:40):

Absolutely mate, I'm really looking forward to sharing this episode. Ryan's journey of how he strived for Australian permanent residency is one that shares many parallels with striving to secure a job or changing careers. We touch on many common traits between the two such as Ryan's drive and determination and his ability to be flexible. It's a really fascinating story from start to finish and to kick it off, I ask Ryan about where he grew up.

Ryan (01:04):

I am from the UK. I grew up in an area called Maidstone, which ironically, I now live in a suburb in Melbourne called Maidstone. So gone full circle. I left the UK back in 2010. I was made redundant in my role at the time and decided to head off overseas and see a bit of the world and traveled to South America, New Zealand, and then arrived in Australia with very little in the form of a life plan. And took up various jobs as many backpackers do, anything from selling magazine subscriptions, selling wine over the phone, insurance. And then I, through a few friends who had recommended it, decided to pursue a role in recruitment. And I'm sure like the majority of recruiters, it's not something that I had given much thought to. It's certainly not what I studied at university for, but in short, it was a way that I could stay in Australia.

Ryan (02:19):

And I had at the time used my second-year visa, I obtained my second-year visa through doing four months of farm work in Mildura. And I was coming to the end of my second-year visa. And quite honestly, the panic button had been pressed. And I thought, "How do I stay in this country?" And yeah, recruitment provided me an opportunity to do so. And yeah, I took it with both hands and went down the path of recruitment.

Evan (02:50):

Which is hilarious, because you sort of fell into it. Whereas recruitment is such a fulfilling area. So you've found out the hard way, I guess, going headfirst into it, but then realizing just how fulfilling it can be helping people with filling that void in their life, which is a better job or a different job, or just employment altogether. But that security that it brings to someone's life and to their family as well, so... And you would've probably in hindsight, looking back, would've been quite young at the time and now realizing how many people have helped over all the years and, yeah, just what's involved. Yeah.

Ryan (03:22):

Yeah. Look, I mean, it is definitely a rewarding profession. It allows you to meet interesting people. You obviously help shape their lives. So, that's a really good part of the role. But as I say, when I originally got into it, I didn't really have a proper idea of what the role involved. But yeah, for the fact that it lets me stay in Australia, it's something which I have a lot of debt to, I guess, as a profession.

Evan (03:52):

Yeah. And you took it with both hands. And you mentioned before about your travel around the world, there was South America, there was New Zealand, there was Australia. What made it about Australia that you said to yourself, "Look, I want to stay here." Was it a certain moment? Was it expectations that you didn't realize you had until you were here? What was that moment for you?

Ryan (04:10):

Yeah, look, I guess the original, why I ended up in Australia was, we'd bought an around the world ticket and Australia was the last port of call. And I'd had a group of friends who essentially had done the same trip who were six months ahead. So when I arrived in Sydney, back in 2010, they'd trodden that path a bit and they got their office job and they were a little bit ahead of us. So we just naturally gravitated towards it. At the time when I arrived in Sydney, I was living in Kings Cross and Kings Cross definitely wasn't what I had imagined Australia to be. And I'll be honest, I was probably a little bit underwhelmed when I first got to Australia.

Ryan (05:00):

We'd been to some pretty beautiful countries. And in fact, I remember vividly actually, when I got off the plane in Sydney, it was absolutely pouring hard rain. And I think my first experience of Sydney was going to an Irish pub for a steak. So it was just a bit of an odd transition and I think only when I walked down Beach Road in Bondi and I saw the beach, I was like, "Actually, this is Australia."

Evan (05:28):

That was postcard Australia. Yes. Yeah.

Ryan (05:30):

Yeah. And that was a moment where I was like, "You know what, I probably would like to stay here." And I think like anywhere, the longer you stay somewhere the more you get to know the place and it became home pretty quickly. And then going to Mildura to do farm work was a funny experience. I quite enjoyed the simple life in the sense that you didn't have to worry about adult stuff. You just basically pick some fruit play table tennis, drink beer. And that was the life for four months.

Evan (06:07):

With like-minded individuals as well.

Ryan (06:09):

Yeah. Carefree four months that I wouldn't have changed for the world. I mean, at the time it was pretty challenging, but it was a fun experience and one that I do put down as a really positive experience. And then arriving in Melbourne and, again, it was just a very different version of Australia than Sydney. And I think it suited me really well. And then we just went about setting up a life here really. And yeah, it's been fun.

Evan (06:41):

Yeah. And that journey to permanent residency. So, that would've started when you got to Melbourne. Talk us through from your working holiday visa, you've talked to your first one, then your second one renewed with that agricultural work. What was the pathway like then all the way through to permanent residency for you as your profession, as a recruiter?

Ryan (06:57):

Yeah. So, I mean, I was up against it because I had to get into recruitment. So when I decided to get into recruitment, I literally had weeks left of my second working holiday visa. So in order for me to stay, it required the company at the time to sponsor me without me doing a day's work. And traditionally back then, you'd normally do six months in a job and if it went well, they would begin the recruitment process. So actually getting my first job in recruitment was really tough because there was a commitment from a company, at the time there was a lot of options for them. There was a lot of backpackers that were bending over backward to stay in the country. So it did require actually a lot of interviews. I had a lot of rejections. It went for quite a while of, "Yeah, we liked him, but not enough experience or whatnot."

Ryan (07:54):

And the company at the time who did sponsor me, I think I had seven rounds of interviews and it was a real, real relief when they finally said, "Look, we'll take you on and sponsor you." And really, I mean, it's a pretty life-changing moment because I was on the cusp of going back on a plane to England, and then all of a sudden I had an opportunity to stay and-

Evan (08:22):

Yeah. Someone taking that chance on you. Yeah.

Ryan (08:24):

And then I had to work out the recruitment piece. I was like, "Well, we've got to work this out now." And so I did that. I worked for that company for a couple of years. Then I moved to a new recruitment company where they took over my sponsorship. That was again, a bit of a painful process because at the time it was quite a period where I had to wait for that company to take over that. So I was probably out of work for six weeks, when you have limited money, six weeks out of work is a long time.

Evan (09:00):

Yeah. And sitting on your hands as well, that whole time.

Ryan (09:02):

Exactly. Yeah. Waiting to start a new job. And then, yeah, once I was eligible for permanent residency, submit the application, and yeah, I think, from submitting to approval, I mean, would've been about 18 months, I think before that PR came through. And I mean, again talking about life-changing moments, that's again where it, yeah, it's an incredible feeling and I definitely don't take for granted having the opportunity to live in this country.

Ryan (09:46):

I've had plenty of friends that we were in Australia together. And for various reasons, weren't able to get permanent residency and it's incredibly disappointing for them when they're in a position where they have so much to offer, but because of criteria or for various reasons, they couldn't stay, so...

Evan (10:08):

Or the lack of a sponsor, that was a turning point for you because different story today if that person didn't take a punt on you.

Ryan (10:15):

Exactly, exactly. There is a lot of luck, but I think if I was to say to anyone, any advice about going down this path is you do need to have resilience and you do need to put yourself in the way of opportunities and again, I'm speaking probably in a different period where certain visas give you access to PR and certainly don't. And I know that for a lot of people there isn't that option. So I'm not saying... Resilience is only going get you-

Evan (10:54):

Yeah. Get over the line. Yeah, but-

Ryan (10:56):

Yeah. But if you are in a position where you do qualify for it, and that's the ultimate goal, I feel like there needs to be an element of flexibility in your approach because it's not a straight path, I don't think.

Evan (11:13):

Yeah. And it's crazy because you mentioned how you're able to jump headfirst into recruitment and the employer take the chance and you. Today and it even tightened last October 2020, it got tightened even more because of the increased unemployment rates. So now there's advertising on a mandatory government platform who were advertising for at least four weeks. I mean, back in the day, when you got your sponsorship, really someone could have technically have had one day of experience, and as long as the argument was really strong that, "Hey, Ryan is the best person for the job." Advertised on a platform for three or four days. I mean, I see advertising on Gumtree sometimes and gone those days.

Evan (11:51):

And like you said that opportunity may not be there for everyone these days. And there was your friends who didn't have that opportunity for permanent residency, but like you said, you'd be resilient when it's given to you and make the most of it when you can. And I guess that's probably a big parallel to what you do today, which is run your own business, funnily enough in recruitment, you really found your calling in life, really that parallel between striving for permanent residency, that resilience, you probably see that a lot in business ownership as well. Can you talk us through your business, Creative Natives, and what you do for others?

Ryan (12:21):

Yeah. Look, I mean, we are a recruitment agency that specializes in the creative marketing and digital space. We set up two and a bit years ago. I made my first hire just weeks before COVID.

Evan (12:36):

That's right. Yes.

Ryan (12:40):

And obviously the business imploded overnight and yeah, I mean that definitely challenged me in a different way than I've ever experienced. And yeah, it's a horrible feeling, something which, I guess is quite relatable to obtaining visa status, because some of these things are out of your control. And I think that is something which gives people a great deal of anxiety and unrest when they have things that are completely out of their control. And that was the same as the pandemic is how a lot of people have with their visa situation. I think as a country, we absolutely should be encouraging and be accommodating to overseas skills.

Ryan (13:28):

Because as a recruiter at the moment, I have seen the biggest skills shortage and talent shortage that we've ever experienced and it's not sustainable. There's a lot of companies in various different industries that are planning this huge growth in the next few years, but we all know that growth can only be achieved with having the right people who can come here. And first hand I can tell you that there isn't enough people across a lot of different disciplines and it's a real shame because I think it's an opportunity for Australia to become a real hotspot for, probably not the right terminology these days, but it's an opportunity to grab and make Australia the home of technology of innovation of... Because it's got all the qualities of a country that I've fallen in love with and why people love visiting it.

Ryan (14:31):

It just needs to have a system in place that allows people and allows professionals to come and make a living over here. And restricting people to a limited visa really puts off a lot of people uprooting their lives and changing, coming across the other side of the world for a limited period of time. You're not going to pull your kids out of a school for a two-year break.

Evan (14:56):

Exactly. And a lot of them are two years and further to that, people are really pocketed into an occupation, which is defined by six-digit code defined by these tasks and duties, this type of qualification. But it's preventing the people who are very adaptive and you use that word resilient, who come to Australia and they work in all different types of industries and have all different types of backgrounds, but they have a skillset and that adaptability, which is what employers would love. And if you can have someone in your business who can jump headfirst into different areas, but can be very adaptive in that space, that's the talent that you want. But if someone doesn't have yet at least two years of experience and meeting this and meeting that you're turning away a lot of potential great talent.

Ryan (15:42):

I just think it's a very old school-

Evan (15:45):

System. Yeah.

Ryan (15:46):

This is how we've always done it. You're ticked in a list of skills that have been around for years. It's not enabling individuals with emerging skills to get seen. So you're essentially saying that skill sets we've had for years, yes, you qualify. But skills that are coming up and will be in demand, and that will give us the edge on the rest of the world, they don't qualify.

Evan (16:17):

Yeah. We'll favor traditionalism. We won't favor being adaptive ahead of curves. Yeah.

Ryan (16:23):

Yeah, exactly. And I think you talk about adaptability, anyone who comes to a country that-

Evan (16:29):

Foreign country, yeah.

Ryan (16:31):

... That doesn't speak your language has incredible courage. And I think that's something which employers really overlook, it's life. It's so brave to come into a country where English isn't your first language where you start from scratch. Talk about attitude and having the right skills, I mean, that is fundamentally the core of what makes up a good worker. Not how well they perform in an interview. You've got to look beyond that as a way of judging people.

Evan (17:07):

Or a software skill that they're intermediate, but they could become expert level after four hours of tutorials or something like that.

Ryan (17:13):

Exactly.

Evan (17:14):

I've talked to university students at a couple of different universities and TAFEs in Melbourne, and I talk to them at the point where they're students, soon to become graduates and they get their two-year graduate visa. And that's exactly what I teach. I say, "Don't undersell." Because it's going to be very disheartening applying for jobs and getting knocked back sometimes not even knowing that you got knocked back, you just don't hear from a company. Make sure that you understand that bravery that you've had to bring your life to Australia, as you said. Foreign language also, some people are making an income to send back to their home family.

Evan (17:46):

They're a student, but they're also working part-time because it's not a cheap city to live in, Melbourne and Sydney to be able to provide and to stay in the country. And whilst they're studying full time and exams and assignments and speeches and stuff like that in English, which isn't their first language as well, it's absolutely, they should be applauded for their bravery.

Ryan (18:05):

I think the diversity and multiculturalism of Melbourne is what makes it a great city.

Evan (18:14):

Yes.

Ryan (18:14):

It really is. And if there wasn't an encouragement on people coming from overseas, it wouldn't even have the DNA that it has. So I think Melbourne's had a really good run at being the most liberal city in the world and it will always be up there, but it has to adapt and it has to change. And it has to give pathways to people to come and live.

Evan (18:41):

Yeah, spot on. And speaking about helping others and the bravery that people have trying to find work. Because you'd mentioned about starting Creative Natives right before the pandemic and that's not by choice, but you've been resilient to get through the other side of it. Do you have any golden nuggets of advice to people who are looking to secure their dream job at the moment or change careers in this, I guess maybe coming up to the post COVID, post lockdown world, but then also the work from home era is really cemented in some regards, the interviews over the phone and Zoom, as opposed to people coming in physically, whether it's by choice or not. What gold nuggets of advice do you have for people listening in today?

Ryan (19:23):

Oh, look, I think the working from home COVID has in one way prevented in-person networking events happened. But the flip side of that is it's actually created the biggest type of social network and that's online. And I think that online does remove barriers from seniority, there's nothing stopping being an entry-level person conversing with a CEO over social media. And that I guess is almost the real good byproduct, of this situation. So in terms of advice, I would say that absolutely be proactive on social media.

Ryan (20:11):

I would say, create a personal brand, connect with the right people. And you've automatically got access to individuals that you wouldn't have had years ago. So I think you can see that as a positive, and I think that's the way you should absolutely look at it. I think that in terms of trying to build a new career, I would say that leave any ego at the door and try and get in with a great company and not be so focused on the title that you're going for. Because if you don't have the skills on paper, then it's going to be quite a difficult challenge to get that role that you want.

Ryan (20:57):

But if you are willing to play a longer game, then look at the entry-level positions, because if you've got the right attitude and you are personable and you work hard, that will get noticed in good organizations. And an example with that would be large corporations who potentially have call centers or have customer service roles, which for some people that may seem like a step back, but I would just say that's a really good foot in the door-

Evan (21:26):

Fantastic deduction [crosstalk 00:21:27]

Ryan (21:28):

And see where it goes. I mean, you can do that or you can continually apply for jobs that you're not relevant for and get knocked back. So it's, I guess your mindset of willing to go in at a lower level, but with the idea that's going to benefit you in the long term.

Evan (21:46):

Exactly. And something like a, on the front line, we'll call it. So customer service, a call center, you are having to understand the product, the service at its call level. And that is absolutely beneficial for those other aspects of the business and those larger businesses, government departments, local councils, they look to keep you in there forever. So starting in customer service is a great way to be able to understand what's happening and then move around and go through from there. But like you say, you can take an opportunity with two hands or you can keep your ego on your back and weighing you down and, yeah, keep butting heads, particularly when you look at Christmas closure period, coming up, all that stuff, time can go very, very quickly.

Ryan (22:26):

And I think I would say that the experience you can gain in a call center, it sets you up, it gives you real experience of handling customers and in a world of tech and everything like that, you still need people with empathy, with soft skills that can make people feel good. And that's the stuff that you learn from a call center or in a customer service role. So don't ever underestimate the power of working in one of these roles that will help shape you further down the track.

Evan (23:06):

Yeah, very true. And particularly everything now is process-driven, automated, and everything is at quite a distance, as opposed to, like I said before, jumping in the front line of it and being that face of the business in a call center type environment. We spoke about your journey to Australia, why you fell in love with it, your PR journey. Fast forward to very recently, you actually celebrated your citizenship, but it was over the teleconference. So talk to me a little bit about how that was, just that experience in general, doing such a milestone event, but celebrated remotely.

Ryan (23:41):

Yeah. Look, it was, I guess, I mean like most of the last 18 months, quite a bizarre experience. So the actual ceremony took place over Zoom. I was on a call with, I think 25 other soon-to-be Aussie citizens. And there was the Lord Mayor. And I mean, it's not an easy task being engaging over Zoom, but he did a great job and he gave us a really nice speech around what it means to be Australian. And it was a really nice experience. And we all had to take our vows and declare our commitment to the country. I got dressed up and wore a hat. And my partner had got me all the Aussie classics the lamingtons the-

Evan (24:34):

That's fantastic.

Ryan (24:34):

Yeah. There was a meat pie and just because I think she realized that I would've loved to have had a-

Evan (24:44):

Yeah. To make a fuss about it.

Ryan (24:46):

But look, we have some fun with it. We got the certificate in the post and yeah, look, it's a very special moment and something which obviously took 11 years to get to. And it's relief, I think is the biggest feeling on that.

Evan (25:07):

And it's, yeah. It's one with citizenship, where with the other visas you've had you get the grant notification in your email and they come through, look, I've seen grants at close to midnight, Christmas Eve, weekends, probably as early as 7:30 in the morning. And like, "Oh, great." And there's this instant feeling, but that's it, it's a piece of paper with a TR grant or a permanent residency grant.

Evan (25:29):

But your citizenship is one where you have to attend that ceremony, do the vows and so you're formally a citizen from there, and can be quite a process between, "Yep. Congratulations it's come through." To actually sit in that ceremony. So it's good that with modern technology you could still do that process, rather be remote and it's good that you, or more so your partner made a bit of fun with it, the lamington the meat pie on the table.

Ryan (25:54):

No, it was great. And it's a big milestone and yeah, one that I think anyone who goes down the process should take some time to take it all in and actually appreciate what it stands for, what it means, the freedoms that it provides you, the opportunities. I think easily, one of the best countries in the world to live in from a standard of living perspective. I know we've had a challenging 18 months, but look, it's still a great country, it's safe, it's clean. It is a really great country and definitely one that whenever I have friends coming over from the UK to visit, they go, "Wow, you've got it pretty good here."

Evan (26:41):

Well, fantastic mate. And look, you've given us great insight into your journey and I guess your current situation. Creative Natives started before the pandemic we're looking at somewhat getting out of lockdowns as we speak. What does 2022 bring for Creative Natives? I

Ryan (26:57):

I mean, for me personally, I'm three weeks off from having my first child. So I imagine the rest of this year will be fairly busy. I guess, from a Creative Natives perspective, look, it's quite difficult to think too far ahead. We've just hired our ninth person and 12 months ago we were two.

Evan (27:20):

Fantastic.

Ryan (27:20):

So we've grown quickly. But I think we just want to make sure that we're having a good time because I think we all just need a bit of a break, to be honest with you. It's been a very intense 12 months, it's very busy. We are working tirelessly and it's a challenge to keep going. So I don't necessarily think it's going to be about major growth, but I think it's about just having fun while we do it and doing the best we can.

Evan (28:00):

Yeah. Keeping your heads and keeping to your core.

Ryan (28:02):

Yeah.

Evan (28:03):

Well, fantastic mate, look really appreciate your time and look key takeaways for people listening in is that resilience and that adaptability, that advice you had around careers, and how to get your foot in the door. And this is coming from someone who not only started his business before the pandemic got through it and like you said, you've gone from starting three to now, you've got nine people working for Creative Natives. But also complete full circle journey of permanent residency from setting foot in Australia, into Sydney, going to an Irish bar and having a steak to doing your citizenship ceremony recently with a meat pie and a lamington. Full credit to yourself, mate.

Ryan (28:39):

The circle of life.

Evan (28:40):

Yes. Which involves food. Funny enough.

Ryan (28:44):

Exactly right. Exactly. But thanks for having me on mate. I really appreciate it.

Evan (28:48):

No, thank you for sharing your journey. Thank you, Ryan.

Ryan (28:50):

Cheers mate.

Nick (28:52):

Such a classic story of backpacking in Australia on a working holiday visa and then falling into a career that was nothing close to what he studied at uni. Then getting sponsored then progressing onto PR and now Australian citizenship. It's great that he has settled in Australia so well and is now running a thriving business.

Evan (29:10):

Absolutely. I really love the practical tips that Ryan gave regarding changing careers and seeking employment in the post-pandemic climate. As a bit of a background to the legal context of what a backpacker visa is, the working holiday visa, the 417 visa is for young adults from eligible countries to come to Australia initially for 12 months, but have the ability to also work, hence the title working holiday. There is a strict visa condition that migrants on this visa cannot work for one employer for any more than six months at a time. And that's designed to move people around from employer to employer, and potentially region to region, hence the tie into the unofficial backpacker term. It's a great opportunity for people to see as much of this great, large country as possible and fund it through work at the same time.

Nick (29:56):

And just to add to that, any person who applies for a visa with work rights and still holds a working holiday visa with the six-month restriction they can actually apply for a waiver of that condition. So, Evan, you mentioned it is initially just for 12 months, what do backpackers need to do to extend their stay further?

Evan (30:14):

To gain access, to apply for a second year, you need to do at least three months of certain specified work, and to gain access for a third year you need to do six months of that specified work on your second visa. This specified work includes the following industries and sectors, tourism and hospitality in Northern, remote, or very remote Australia; plant and animal cultivation in Regional Australia; fishing and pearling in Regional Australia, tree farming and felling in Regional Australia; mining in Regional Australia; construction in Regional Australia; bushfire recovery work in declared bushfire affected areas; and critical COVID 19 work in the healthcare and medical sectors.

Evan (30:53):

It's a great initiative by the Department of Home Affairs to incentivize young and hardworking backpackers to not only work regional but in these demand areas. If you're listening to this podcast from outside Australia right now, and have thought about backpacking around Australia, perhaps the segment has sparked some further interest for you.

Nick (31:10):

Yeah, and it's a really great initiative for regional employers in Australia to fill temporary positions in their workforce. So as of the 1st of December 2021, working holiday visas will be able to enter Australia without an exemption along with numerous other temporary visa holders, including prospective marriage visa, training visa, temporary work visa, New Zealand family relationship visa, student visa, and temporary graduate visa holders. For a full list of exempt visas, please visit hansenmigration.com.au that's H-A-N-S-E-N migration.com.au, and read our latest blog. While you're there you can also subscribe to our blog or book a free consultation if you're looking to migrate to Australia on a family visa.

Evan (31:52):

Further to that visitor visa holders still require an exemption to enter Australia. However, currently, citizens of New Zealand and Singapore can enter Australia on a temporary visa, including a visitor visa without an exemption. As of the 1st of December, citizens of Japan and South Korea can also visit Australia on a family exemption. And they do not need to quarantine if entering Victoria, New South Wales, or the ACT.

Nick (32:15):

So with the emergence of the Omicron variant, there've been restrictions put in place for people who have been to South Africa, Lesotho, Eswatini, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Seychelles, Mozambique, or Malawi within the last 14 days. Australian citizens, permanent residents, and their immediate family must quarantine for 14 days if they visited any of these countries within the last 14 days.

Nick (32:40):

Any other travelers from these countries are not permitted to enter Australia, even if they hold a travel exemption, an eligible visa, or if they're seeking to enter Australia under the safe travel zone arrangement. For updates regarding quarantine, we recommend checking the relevant state government website. There is the possibility that the Australian border restrictions will tighten further because the situation is constantly evolving.

Evan (33:02):

Stay tuned for further updates.

Nick (33:06):

Thanks for listening to the Journey to Oz podcast. If you've liked what you've heard, please subscribe, and also leave us a review. We'll release a new episode every second Tuesday. So please stay tuned.

Disclaimer (33:21):

The Journey to Oz podcast is produced by Nick Hansen from Hansen Migration. Migration agent registration number 1679147 and Evan Bishop from Worldly Migration. Migration agent registration number 1679414. Any information discussed in this podcast is made available for entertainment purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional advice. We do not make any guarantee or accept any responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of any of the information discussed.

Disclaimer (33:51):

You should obtain advice from a registered migration agent or an immigration lawyer before acting on any of the content discussed in this podcast. You can find a list of registered migration agents by visiting mara.gov.au. The information contained within this podcast may not be reproduced without our prior written consent. In the spirit of reconciliation, we acknowledge the traditional custodians of land throughout Australia and pay respect to their elders. We extend that respect to all Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islanders today. Thank you for listening.