Australia relaxes student visa rules for Indians

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TGI News Service

At a time when Australia’s education sector is showing effects of the bad press attracted by racist attacks on Indians, the country’s Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) has made it easier for students from India and 37 other countries to get a student visa to study in Australia.

With the more lenient international student visa assessment levels, applicants will need to submit fewer documents to support their student visa application.

These may include evidence of English language proficiency, financial capacity and academic qualifications.

“These changes will lower the minimum evidentiary requirements needed for the grant of a student visa for the selected countries and education sectors,” says a DIAC spokesman.

Students in Australia represent a multi-ethnic group: Seen here are (L-R) Tuan Pham, Malyun Ahmed and Stephen Yuen (Source: DIAC)

An Australian student visa allows Indian students to live in Australia for a specified period to study at an Australian educational institution. In 2009-10, Australia granted 270,499 student visas. As of June 2010, there were 382,710 international students in the country.

One in five international students (80,450) in Australia is from India. Similarly, there are 80,010 students from China and 21,720 from South Korea.

International education in Australia is an AU$14 billion industry, and Australia seems to be keen to boost this export market. While many international students from India see overseas education as an opportunity to explore the living opportunities in Australia, the Australian government knows its priorities and clarifies that “the reductions to assessment levels do not change the likelihood of a former student in Australia obtaining permanent residence.”

Australia sees Indian students as a revenue-generating avenue for the ex-chequer, but does not necessarily consider Indian students suitable for permanent residence.

“Students should not make educational choices solely on the basis of expecting to achieve a particular migration outcome, because the skilled migration program will continue to change and adapt to Australia’s economic needs,” says the spokesman.

“While many international students apply for permanent residence when they complete their studies, this is an entirely separate process and there is no guarantee that, on the basis of having held a student visa, a person will meet the requirements to be granted permanent residence.”

The spokesperson clarified that “there is no particular (study) course that guarantees a permanent visa.”

For more information about the lowered assessment levels for a student visa in Australia, please visit the DIAC website.

Also read: Australia to recruit 30,000 Indians

 

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Comments

3 responses to “Australia relaxes student visa rules for Indians”

  1. Study in Australia Avatar
    Study in Australia

    Study in Australia is a great concern for all nationalities as you are not necessarily going to gain permanent residency or citizenship after your studies.

    Many international students came to study in Australia to fulfill their dream to live in Australia. How many international students came to study in Australia to establish good knowledge and leave after their studies? It would be interesting to find this information as part of a survey.

    Reply
  2. Michael Avatar
    Michael

    My wife of 16 years with 2 kids became an Australian citizenship be descent in 2008 and we planned to migrate with her leaving first to look for work in 2009. She met and feel madly in love with an Indian Student 10 year her junior and not wanted to divorce me, so she could married this Indian Student, most likely so that he could migrate in my shoes and my children. They have been living together as de-factor, I called him and told him,he is committing adultery. He told me he knew more law than me and that it is not his problem but mine and my wife to work it out.

    Reply
  3. Pasha Avatar
    Pasha

    Australia is so hard to live country for international students. International students have to pay 4 to 5 times more to universities, rather than regular students. And all scholarships and tuition exemptions are just for local students specially in bachelor level. Which means that international student have to pay up to 8 times more to system. Permanent residency is hard to receive for international students. Australia is big country with more than 40 hectares of arable land and lots of renewable water source which lets the Australia hold 180 million population with USA standards. But as I said, the situation for international students are so hard that even most qualified students are hesitant to choose Australia. Specially Undergraduate students that don’t have enough access to scholarships and their education period is so long. For example a well qualified students from Iran have to pay about 120,000 just for tuition and at least 50,000 for other expenses to achieve bachelor degree in Environmental and Architectural studies. That means you should be millionaire to enter to Australia for a bachelor degree. The local students pays something around 20,000 for tuition and yet have long list of scholarships available.

    Reply

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