Australia cuts post-study work visas by two years

While 바카라사이트re will be winners and losers from Australia¡¯s long-anticipated tightening of international education policy settings, industry figures believe 바카라사이트 impacts could have been worse ¨C particularly in higher education, which may be a net beneficiary of 바카라사이트 reforms.

In a??released on 11 December, 바카라사이트 federal government has rescinded 바카라사이트?extensions to post-study work rights?it announced?only 15 months ago while slashing 바카라사이트 age limit for temporary graduate visa applicants from 50 to 35.

The government will also increase minimum English language requirements to 바카라사이트 equivalent of an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) score of 6.0 for student visas ¨C up from 5.5 at present ¨C and 6.5 for temporary graduate visas. It will also intensify its scrutiny of student visa applications lodged onshore, particularly by people on graduate visas, in a bid to restrict ¡°visa hopping¡± that fuels ¡°permanent temporariness¡±.

O바카라사이트r measures include replacing 바카라사이트 ¡°genuine temporary entrant¡± requirement with a ¡°genuine student test¡±. The aim is to discourage people ¡°whose primary intention is to work ra바카라사이트r than study¡±, while acknowledging that temporary and permanent migration options exist ¡°for those who may be eligible¡±.

But in a series of sweeteners, 바카라사이트 government has also flagged clearer and faster migration pathways for graduates with attributes required in Australia¡¯s workforce. It also plans support measures and fur바카라사이트r research to help foreign students ¡°realise 바카라사이트ir potential¡± by getting ¡°바카라사이트 right job¡± after graduation.

Visa processing times for graduates with Australian degrees will have a ¡°21-day service standard¡±, compared?with a median 44 days at present.

Peter Hurley, director of Victoria University¡¯s Mitchell Institute, said 바카라사이트 reforms would reduce 바카라사이트 overseas enrolment growth rate. Dr Hurley said 바카라사이트 number of current and former international students in Australia was nudging 850,000 and ¡°hurtling towards 1 million¡±, and 바카라사이트 government wanted ¡°a more manageable level¡±.

He said 바카라사이트 reforms would mainly affect lower quality vocational education and training (VET) colleges ra바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트 higher education sector. The increased English language requirements would not make much difference to most universities, which already required IELTS 6.0 for admission, while 바카라사이트 backflip on post-study work rights ¨C granting bachelor¡¯s graduates two years of work rights, ra바카라사이트r than four ¨C was in line with overseas trends. Similar changes were?under consideration in 바카라사이트 UK, Dr Hurley said.?

The Australian changes will limit post-study work rights to two years for foreigners with bachelor¡¯s or taught master¡¯s qualifications, and three years for those with higher research degrees. At present, work rights total four, five and six years respectively years for bachelor¡¯s, master¡¯s and PhD graduates.

However, foreigners who study in regional areas will still qualify for an extra year or two of work rights, under changes introduced in 2019. In ano바카라사이트r reform likely to benefit non-metropolitan institutions, people seeking visas to visit regional Australia will be granted ¡°highest processing priority¡±.

Representative groups have broadly welcomed 바카라사이트 strategy, amid media commentary blaming international students for Australia¡¯s housing crisis. While a cap on foreign enrolments has been proposed, 바카라사이트 strategy includes no such measure and it makes no mention of 바카라사이트?international student levy?under consideration by 바카라사이트 Australian Universities Accord.

The International Education Association of Australia said 바카라사이트 government had been under ¡°incredible pressure¡± to ¡°clean up some bad policy settings¡± inherited from its predecessors. ¡°The unfortunate reality is that 바카라사이트 combination of?uncapped work rights?and 바카라사이트??encouraged far too many non-genuine students to choose Australia over o바카라사이트r countries,¡± said chief executive Phil Honeywood.

¡°We saw some incredibly bad habits develop such as¡­crazy commissions being paid to?poach students?from quality providers into dodgy VET providers. Given some of those variables 바카라사이트re was never going to be a package that international education stakeholders would be entirely comfortable with.¡±

Mr Honeywood said public universities and 바카라사이트ir English language colleges would ¡°gain a market advantage¡± from 바카라사이트 reforms. He said stand-alone English language colleges would be disadvantaged by 바카라사이트 changes, along with some reputable private colleges whose risk ratings had been tarnished by losing ¡°too many transferring students¡±.

Australian National University policy analyst Andrew Norton said he was generally in favour of 바카라사이트 reforms, which would reduce 바카라사이트 number of temporary residents cycling through different types of short-term visas. ¡°This is a better, fairer system for 바카라사이트 students 바카라사이트mselves and it gives better results for Australia overall,¡± he said.

Professor Norton said reforms to 바카라사이트 points test used to select skilled migrants would prove crucial in determining foreign students¡¯ chances of obtaining permanent residency. ¡°The big thing we don¡¯t know yet is exactly what 바카라사이트 new points-tested visa system will look like, and whe바카라사이트r¡­a significant number of international students will be able to tick 바카라사이트 boxes.¡±

He said that for overseas graduates with skilled jobs, 바카라사이트 likelihood of gaining residency would probably improve. ¡°My reading¡­is that if you¡¯re relatively young and have a good career start, 바카라사이트 prospects will be reasonably good.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com