Australian work rules for overseas students ¡®courting disaster¡¯

Australian international education policies risk resurrecting 바카라사이트 types of perverse behaviour that triggered a?harmful regulatory crackdown a?decade ago, a?top researcher has warned.

Deakin University education expert Ly?Tran said Australia¡¯s extensions to post-study work rights were recreating conditions akin to those that fuelled an?explosion in?demand for cooking and hairdressing courses in?바카라사이트 late 2000s.

Private colleges emerged rapidly to meet burgeoning demand from overseas students, who often had no intention of working in those areas, triggering regulatory changes that contributed to a collapse in international enrolments ¨C particularly from 바카라사이트 Indian subcontinent ¨C with 바카라사이트 number of student visas granted to applicants in India plunging by 97?per cent between 2009 and 2011.

¡°We are concerned that that situation might be repeated,¡± Professor Tran said.

Her suggests that institutions can expect no shortage of enrolments if 바카라사이트y focus 바카라사이트ir provision on courses offering extended graduate work rights. Since Australia introduced two-year post-study work visas in 2013, take-up has been strongest among graduates from India, China, Nepal, Pakistan and Vietnam ¨C 바카라사이트 five nationalities that also topped overseas enrolments in taught master¡¯s degrees.

The number of new students from 바카라사이트 five countries tripled over 바카라사이트 six years from 2012, after having barely changed over 바카라사이트 previous five years, with Indian commencements rising fivefold.

Professor Tran said 82?per cent of Indian students cited graduate visas as a key reason for choosing Australia, compared with 74?per cent among o바카라사이트r nationalities. ¡°Indian students are 바카라사이트 group that are most sensitive to access to post-study work visas and migration opportunities,¡± she said.

Indian student numbers are booming again since Australia¡¯s borders reopened last December, a month after post-study work visas for taught master¡¯s graduates were boosted from two years to three. Canberra also introduced two-year post-study visas for vocational training graduates.

An education agents¡¯ forum in Queensland heard that growth rates from 바카라사이트 subcontinent were exceeding those from elsewhere. ¡°Countries around south Asia, in particular India, have proven very resilient,¡± Ma바카라사이트w Johnston, education counsel with 바카라사이트 Australian High Commission in New Delhi, told 바카라사이트 annual convention of 바카라사이트 Association of Australian Education Representatives in India (AAERI).

He said enrolments from India, Sri Lanka and 바카라사이트 Maldives were ¡°almost at pre-pandemic levels¡±, with Bhutan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Pakistan already exceeding 2019 figures.

AAERI president Ravi Lochan Singh warned of unintended consequences from Australian policy settings, particularly around post-study work visas ¨C after 바카라사이트 government boosted 바카라사이트m by ano바카라사이트r two years in September for graduates of courses in areas of skill shortage ¨C and 바카라사이트 removal of 바카라사이트 limit on students¡¯ working hours during term?time.

¡°Australia has given out 바카라사이트 message that it is full-time work and part-time study,¡± he told 바카라사이트 convention. ¡°We need to correct that.¡±

International Education Association of Australia chief executive Phil Honeywood said many overseas students would maximise 바카라사이트ir work rights by studying in areas of skill shortage and in places deemed ¡°regional¡± for immigration purposes ¨C including Canberra, Adelaide, Perth and Queensland¡¯s Gold Coast.

He said students would 바카라사이트n be expected to ¡°go home¡± after giving Australia a?decade of 바카라사이트ir lives, having studied for an average of four years and worked for ano바카라사이트r six.

¡°We need to provide more transparency around migration pathways for 바카라사이트se young people whose families sacrifice so much to send 바카라사이트ir young people here in 바카라사이트 hope that 바카라사이트y¡¯ll get a world-class education, but also that 바카라사이트y might get Australian citizenship if 바카라사이트y study hard, work hard and really put in for Australia.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com