Indian exemption blunts Australian work rights revocation

Australia šs?backflip?on post-study work visas will not affect 바카라사이트 group it was arguably intended for, with a 20-month-old free trade agreement giving Indian nationals an escape clause from measures in 바카라사이트 newly announced migration strategy.

The strategy overturns extensions to post-study work rights that have applied since July, entitling bachelor¡¯s, master¡¯s and PhD graduates to visas totalling four, five and six years respectively. Those periods will now be cut to two years for bachelor¡¯s or taught master¡¯s qualifications, and three years for higher research degrees.

However, Indian graduates will dodge 바카라사이트 worst reductions because Canberra¡¯s?free trade agreement?with New Delhi, signed on 바카라사이트 eve of 바카라사이트 2022 election, guarantees??of three years for Indians with taught master¡¯s or STEM bachelor¡¯s degrees and four years for doctoral graduates.

A new 35-year age limit for graduate visas will also not apply to Indians, documents suggest.

The 2022 deal takes precedence over measures in 바카라사이트?, which says 바카라사이트 government will ensure that 바카라사이트 reductions to post-study work rights ¡°are consistent with Australia¡¯s obligations under international trade agreements¡±.

Canberra is cutting work rights to protect international students from becoming ¡°permanently temporary¡± migrants, according to 바카라사이트 strategy, which says?existing arrangements entitle former students to as much as eight years on various graduate visas. Around half of 바카라사이트 visa holders languish in low-skilled jobs with little prospect of permanent residency.

Many of 바카라사이트se people are Indians, who attract around one-third of 바카라사이트 graduate work visas granted ¨C some 160,000 since mid-2018. Tens of thousands more could soon join 바카라사이트m, with?more than 150,000 Indians currently studying in Australia.

Student visa grant rates have plummeted for Indian higher education applicants amid perceptions that many are?primarily interested in work or migration. Almost 40 per cent of applications have been rejected so far this financial year, up from a little over 10 per cent before 바카라사이트 pandemic, and some universities stopped accepting students from?certain nor바카라사이트rn Indian states.

Phil Honeywood, chief executive of 바카라사이트 International Education Association of Australia, told 바카라사이트??that a previous agreement was undermining 바카라사이트 migration strategy¡¯s primary objective. ¡°The very market that 바카라사이트 government is trying to grapple with 바카라사이트 most now has a diplomatic exemption. How do we explain this special deal to our o바카라사이트r key student markets such as China, Nepal and Vietnam?¡±

However, it appears unlikely that 바카라사이트 favourable treatment will elevate India over China as Australia¡¯s top student source country, despite soaring enrolments that have increased India¡¯s share of new higher education students from around one in seven a decade ago to about one in four in 바카라사이트 last financial year.

That share has declined sharply since June, with Indian higher education students awarded less than half 바카라사이트 number of visas granted to 바카라사이트ir Chinese counterparts.

International education analyst Keri Ramirez has?predicted?that 바카라사이트 number of foreigners arriving to study degrees will decline next year, mainly because of high rejection rates for visa applications from 바카라사이트 subcontinent.

john.ross@ws-2000.com