It has been announced on the 7th of February 2014 by the Minister for Trade and Investment, Mr. Andrew Robb, and the Minister for Immigration and Border Protection, Mr. Scott Morrison, that entry visas have been extended to Chinese business visitors.
They announced that Chinese individuals visiting for business purpose can now be granted Australian 3-year multiple entry visas through a scheme that targets the growth of the tourism sector in Australia. Previously, visitors were only allowed to apply for entry visas that could last up to twelve months.
The amendments made to the business visitor visa were done after the Abbott government’s decision to grant Chinese airlines an increase in number of its seating capacity to cater to the rising increase of Chinese visitors which started during Australia’s Chinese New Year celebration.
They also included in their announcement that both the tourism sector in the country and the Chinese business visitors will benefit from the updated flexibility that the 3-year multiple entry visitor visa brings as it would bring forth a fresh stream of economic benefits to the industry. This would include restaurants, hotels, airlines, business events, and many other establishments that service visitors from China.
“Chinese business visitors will now be eligible to apply for a 3-year multiple entry visa, increasing the prospect of repeat visits to Austalia, which would be warmly welcomed by our tourism sector,” Mr. Robb stated. “These changes will also support the government’s ambitious trade & investment agenda & increase the opportunities to do business with China.”
Mr. Robb also mentioned that between the years 2002 & 2012, total investment by the Chinese in Australia rose over eight-fold, to twenty three billion dollars.
“And we want to see stronger continued growth,” he said.
Mr. Scott Morrison said so himself, that given the fact most business visitors are coming from China, and that at least 18.5% of the applicants in the 1st quarter of this year also came from the same country, this is the perfect opportunity to make the most of this growth. And to do that, the process needs to be made easier.
Mr. Morrison believes that these moves will help open up doors of opportunity and business for Australia, without sacrificing visa integrity.
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