We are applicants of Australian skilled visas (189/190/489/491,...), waiting for more than 8 months , the official disclosed duration. Generally, preparing documents for a skilled visa takes more than one year, followed by a long post-lodge waiting. Meanwhile, we probably forgo some career opportunities and financial/educational offers from the current country. In 2020, applicants are more stressful than ever, because the grants take longer time to hit the ground. Some applicants have experienced more than one year or even two. Due to the pandemic, the torment still last. 
 
We respect the holistic configuration and strategy of the border control and the critical sector classification, as fully border opening definitely undermines the anti-covid triumph. And we also value our agreement BEFORE the pandemic happened.  It is inappropriate to hold such long time under a highly-paid service if all documents have been provided, isn't it? What's worse, most will face the expiration of some documents, such as PCC, health check, language certificate.  Redoing PCC, health check, and language certification is meaningless in most cases. It is completely avoidable if the regular processing restarts.
 
We urge the Australian authority to release the offshore/onshore skilled visa grants lodged before the pandemic. We want an immediate visa decision not out of the sheer goal of the jobkeeper or other welfare, instead we will make a long stay to boom the economy, diversify the culture and alleviate the aging of population. New comers are just a minuscule part of the whole nation, who won't make Australia financially overburdened. Since the self-paid 14-day quarantine mandate has been enforced for overseas,  we should  also be entitled with the right of when we will make our first landing. Being said that, the air ticket prices are still on the plateau. A visa grant does not necessarily mean a person's immediate entrance.

 
It is also sensible to look around your peers when decisions are hard to make. UK and Canada are considering to open borders . Canada is even releasing the working visas for the overseas. My friend has given up the SA sponsored 190 visa, and accepted the Canadian offer. Australian is also an immigration country. Do you think the covid-19 situation in Canada and UK is more favorable than Australia? Do you think the economy in Australia is more resilient than Canada and UK? Do you think Australia will still outweigh Canada and UK in luring the perspective international students and the skilled workers in the future? 
 
We need a final decision to make everything well-arranged and to make Australia more attractive.