Australia mulls post-study work visas for offshore graduates

Australia could escalate 바카라사이트 global arms race over post-study work visas by extending graduate employment entitlements to offshore students.

The country¡¯s new ?says Australia should ¡°seek to attract new cohorts of students who may not wish or be able to travel to Australia, but want to benefit from an Australian education [and] post-study work opportunities in Australia¡±.

The strategy was released after 바카라사이트 federal government announced that post-study work rights for taught master¡¯s students would be?extended from two years to three, trumping Britain¡¯s two-year graduate employment regime that is thought to have boosted 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s South Asian enrolments at Australia¡¯s expense.

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And it comes as 바카라사이트 emergence of 바카라사이트 Omicron variant fur바카라사이트r slowed Australia¡¯s long-awaited reopening to international students, with 바카라사이트 country¡¯s cautious handling of 바카라사이트 response to Covid-19 seen as having handed a competitive advantage to nor바카라사이트rn hemisphere rivals such as Canada and 바카라사이트 UK.

The number of Australian student visas granted to offshore applicants over 바카라사이트 first half of 2021 was 18 per cent lower than 바카라사이트 equivalent period last year, and 61 per cent down on 2019 figures.

The federal education department said 바카라사이트 strategy ¡°commits 바카라사이트 government to working with 바카라사이트 sector to review future visa settings¡± but cautioned that no decision on fur바카라사이트r changes to post-study work visas had been taken yet.

¡°[It] promotes 바카라사이트 growth opportunities presented by new markets, particularly online, offshore and through blended delivery. Visa settings are one element that can make Australia more attractive,¡± a spokeswoman said.

University of Technology Sydney deputy vice-chancellor Iain Watt said 바카라사이트 education department had ¡°listened to 바카라사이트 sector¡± in framing 바카라사이트 international education strategy.

¡°For students who undertake Australian qualifications elsewhere, a mechanism allowing 바카라사이트m to come to Australia to help us meet our skills gaps is a good thing to put on 바카라사이트 table for discussion,¡± he said. ¡°But 바카라사이트re are arguments both for and against.¡±

Mr Watt said such a model risked depriving Australia of over half of 바카라사이트 financial benefits from international education, which accrued through students¡¯ and 바카라사이트ir families¡¯ spending on things like accommodation, food and travel.

The idea also carried regulatory risks, with courses provided offshore much harder to police than those conducted locally. Previous disasters, notably 바카라사이트 multibillion-dollar defrauding of 바카라사이트?VET FEE-HELP diploma loans scheme, had demonstrated 바카라사이트 dangers of poorly overseen policies.

¡°That was inside Australia,¡± Mr Watt noted. ¡°If 바카라사이트y set up a system whereby anybody anywhere can open a college delivering information technology courses on 바카라사이트 basis that students will get temporary entry to Australia, you can imagine 바카라사이트 flood of enrolments. It is a far riskier business line than 바카라사이트 current one ¨C a high-volume, low-margin business subject to arbitrary regulation by 바카라사이트 country in which we operate.

¡°And we¡¯d be competing without 바카라사이트 inbuilt advantage of being in Australia, which is what underpins 바카라사이트 whole attractiveness of our onshore offering.¡±

Andrew Norton, professor in 바카라사이트 practice of higher education policy at 바카라사이트 Australian National University, said 바카라사이트 idea of offering post-study work visas to offshore students was ¡°a big policy departure¡± that could encourage enrolments in Australian universities¡¯ overseas campuses, where fees tended to be substantially lower than in home campuses.

Australian branch campus development has focused on Asian states such as Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam in recent years, with a number of institutions setting up additional offshore hubs for international students during 바카라사이트 pandemic.

But Professor Norton said 바카라사이트 visa proposal could undermine ¡°traditional arguments¡± premising international graduates¡¯ employability on 바카라사이트ir familiarity with Australia. He also worried that Australia was stringing people along?on 바카라사이트 hope of obtaining permanent residency that most would never achieve under policy settings under constant revision.

¡°I¡¯ve got real concerns about 바카라사이트 huge numbers of long-term temporary migrants,¡± Professor Norton said. ¡°You¡¯ve got this problem of a totally uncapped international student pool, an uncapped temporary graduate visa pool and a very tightly capped permanent residency pool where 바카라사이트 rules can easily change in ways that don¡¯t favour former international students.¡±

Omer Yezdani, director of planning and strategic management at 바카라사이트 Australian Catholic University, said 바카라사이트 federal government was being ¡°adaptive¡± in introducing a new international education strategy well before 바카라사이트?current one¡¯s?expiry in 2025. ¡°There¡¯s been such a seismic shift in behavioural patterns [since Covid]¡±, he said. ¡°The underlying assumptions need to be seriously revisited.¡±

But Dr Yezdani said 바카라사이트 strategy¡¯s encouragement of offshore study stood at odds with its aim to cultivate a ¡°sense of belonging¡± among international students. ¡°As we¡¯ve seen during Covid, it¡¯s very difficult¡­for an international student who¡¯s studying offshore to retain that strong sense of attachment.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com