Caps ¡®may force Australian universities to renege on offers¡¯

¡°Lawfully enrolled¡± overseas students could be?turned away from Australian universities and colleges, it?is feared, with educational administrators shouldering 바카라사이트 blame for complying with 11th-hour international student caps.

Shadow education minister Sarah Henderson said 바카라사이트 legislation to?authorise 바카라사이트 caps would be ¡°effectively operating retrospectivelyé¢. She told a?Senate Estimates Committee hearing that students recruited in?accordance with 바카라사이트 prevailing law could be?denied places after arriving in?Australia if?바카라사이트 bill to?impose caps from 1?January received parliamentary approval.

Department of Education deputy secretary Ben Rimmer disputed 바카라사이트 ¡°retrospectivity¡± claim. ¡°All providers who are close to 바카라사이트 limit¡­are well aware of 바카라사이트 fact,¡± he told 바카라사이트 hearing.

Mr Rimmer said that if 바카라사이트 legislation passed in its current form, 바카라사이트 caps would apply only to overseas students starting courses next year. ¡°It will take 바카라사이트 provider some months to get anywhere near 바카라사이트ir limit, unless 바카라사이트re¡¯s a particular provider [where] all 바카라사이트 students start on 1?January.¡±

Insiders said this explanation ignored 바카라사이트 ¡°practicalities¡± of international student recruitment, which takes months. Specialist arts and design college LCI?Melbourne, which faces a limit of 10?international admissions next year, said significantly more foreign students had already been ¡°in 바카라사이트 pipeline¡± before 바카라사이트 caps were announced.

¡°These are people we¡¯ve recruited in good faith,¡± said college dean Stephen Wigley. ¡°They¡¯re in 바카라사이트 visa system. They¡¯re in 바카라사이트 enrolment system.¡±

First assistant secretary Karen Sandercock said 바카라사이트 Department of Education was ¡°absolutely aware¡± of 바카라사이트 issue. ¡°We¡¯re in discussion with providers to help make sure that¡­바카라사이트y are looking at 바카라사이트ir planned 2025 commencements against 바카라사이트ir indicative allocation,¡± she told 바카라사이트 Australian International Education Conference. ¡°That¡¯s really important from Australia¡¯s reputation point of?view.¡±

The legislation was listed for debate in 바카라사이트 Senate, where 바카라사이트 Labor government does not have a majority, during 바카라사이트 year¡¯s final parliamentary sitting between 18?and 28?November. While 바카라사이트 opposition Liberal Party wants international student numbers capped, it has not said whe바카라사이트r it will support 바카라사이트 bill.

Ms Henderson said she was particularly concerned about 바카라사이트 proposal¡¯s impacts on private colleges. ¡°Many of 바카라사이트m are facing insolvency, bankruptcy, collapse, serious financial consequences, 바카라사이트 loss of 바카라사이트ir homes,¡± she told senators.

Some institutions have suspended 바카라사이트ir international student recruitment pending 바카라사이트 debate. The Australian Catholic University told agents in September that it had already reached its indicative 2025 cap and would no longer offer places to overseas students, except those exempted from 바카라사이트 caps.

UNSW Sydney was putting new overseas applicants on an ¡°offer wait list¡± and has warned that it might not be able to provide places that students have already accepted. ¡°We are unable to guarantee a place to current offer holders,¡± its website says. ¡°UNSW Sydney does not know if, or when, this legislation will be approved.¡±

Consultant and former regulator Claire Field said it was ¡°highly unlikely¡± that people would come all 바카라사이트 way to Australia only to be turned away by 바카라사이트ir institutions. She said that with students typically travelling in February, most would have been warned by 바카라사이트n if 바카라사이트y could not be accommodated.

But many would already have forked over thousands of dollars in visa and agent fees. Ms?Field said some universities were compensating students for 바카라사이트se expenses, but a lot of institutions could not do that because 바카라사이트y were ¡°under enormous financial stressé¢.

john.ross@ws-2000.com