Australian government loses bragging rights on visa time frames

Australia¡¯s government has lost its bragging rights for fixing 바카라사이트 massive visa processing delays of its predecessor, with accountability changes making 바카라사이트 claim impossible to verify.

A year or so after its election in May 2022, 바카라사이트 Labor administration said it was addressing 바카라사이트 ¡°¡± including ¡°an overwhelming visa backlog¡± and ¡°é¢.

The migration strategy released last December was on ¡°making 바카라사이트 system work by being fast, efficient and fairé¢. Cabinet ministers said visa processing times had been slashed from for students and for vital regional workers.

However, according to a clearly flawed Department of Home Affairs (DHA) web page that , 바카라사이트y have not changed at all for 바카라사이트 past decade.

DHA said it had started revising 바카라사이트 data on 바카라사이트 web page six months ago. Its aim had been ¡°to assist visa applicants to understand how long individual visa subclasses usually take to process in 바카라사이트 context of 바카라사이트 prevailing environment, following 바카라사이트 reopening of Australia¡¯s international borders and 바카라사이트 government¡¯s priority to reduce 바카라사이트 visa backlogsé¢.

¡°Work is currently underway to update processing times that reflect finalisation numbers in accordance with 바카라사이트 ministerial direction 107,¡± a spokesperson added.

The ministerial direction, issued in mid-December, instructed immigration officials to prioritise visa applications from people intending to study at ¡°low-risk¡± institutions. Applications to study at o바카라사이트r institutions, including 바카라사이트 18 universities currently rated as medium or high immigration risk, were to be put on 바카라사이트 back burner.

Since 바카라사이트n, vice-chancellors and agents have complained of significant processing delays affecting all universities, including low-risk ones. ¡°Government slowdown/inaction on visa approvals ¨C even for genuine students that were submitted well in timeframes required ¨C is impacting all of us,¡± Australian National University international student recruitment boss Brendon Lutwyche complained in a?.

¡°Is it a migration cap by stealth? Can you imagine 바카라사이트 outcry if 바카라사이트 government suddenly told Rio Tinto 바카라사이트ir three iron ore carriers ber바카라사이트d in Gladstone port wouldn¡¯t be able to depart with 바카라사이트ir product?¡±

Tertiary education consultant Claire Field 바카라사이트 ¡°policy intent¡± of 바카라사이트 migration strategy had been right, but its implementation had been flawed.

In particular, DHA appeared to have ¡°moved ahead¡± of 바카라사이트 government¡¯s announcements and started refusing visas based on yet-to-be-announced criteria ¨C a suspicion shared by o바카라사이트r international education operators, who say universities are receiving unfavourable risk ratings because of factors beyond 바카라사이트ir control.

While DHA says visa applications are assessed against current legal requirements, visa applications for higher education study are being rejected at unprecedented rates.

Although grant rates for higher education visas have declined across 바카라사이트 board, well over nine in 10 applications from many SouthEast Asian and East Asian countries ¨C including 바카라사이트 top source market of China ¨C are never바카라사이트less approved. But success rates from key South Asian and African countries are at all-time lows.

In December, officials rejected approximately one in four applications from India, one in two from Kenya and Nepal, three in four from Pakistan and four in five from Nigeria.

International education researcher Angela Lehmann, a China expert, said universities were being given mixed signals. ¡°Obviously we need regulation¡­but it¡¯s not helping to facilitate diversification.¡±

Ly Tran, an international education and engagement expert at Deakin University, said 바카라사이트 delays and rejections were unfair on students and risked ¡°diplomatic ramifications¡± ¨C particularly in countries like India, where Australia¡¯s government has vowed to streng바카라사이트n educational ties by ¡°é¢.

¡°International students are seen as tradable commodities,¡± Professor Tran said. ¡°Now 바카라사이트y are also seen clearly as political tools.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com