Massive increase to Australian student visa fees

Australia has more than doubled 바카라사이트 cost of?student visa applications, in?바카라사이트 latest blow to?바카라사이트 country¡¯s beleaguered international education industry.

From 1?July, 바카라사이트 fee for international student visas has been increased from A$710 (?375) to?A$1,600, in?what 바카라사이트 federal government described as a?demonstration of?its commitment to?ethical behaviour in?바카라사이트 international education sector.

The extra revenue will help to fund Universities Accord reforms to domestic higher education ¨C including free preparatory courses, payments for compulsory practicums and cuts to?graduate debt ¨C as well as implementation of 바카라사이트 government¡¯s migration strategy.

¡°The changes coming into force today will help restore integrity to our international education system and create a migration system which is fairer, smaller and better able to deliver for Australia,¡± home affairs minister Clare?O¡¯Neil.

The International Education Association of Australia said it was ¡°an?outrageous impost on a sector which is already facing death by a thousand cuts¡±.

¡°These non-refundable visa application fees will place Australia at more than double 바카라사이트 cost of our closest competitor countries,¡± said chief executive Phil Honeywood. ¡°The fact that 바카라사이트 additional revenue is going to pay for its accord implementation will provide no?benefit to 바카라사이트 overseas students who will have to stump up.

¡°This sends all 바카라사이트 wrong messages about Australia as a welcoming, supportive study destination. In?practice, we will be robbing Ranjit to pay for Richard. This is exploitation of overseas young people at its worst.¡±

The visa fee hike, which 바카라사이트 sector had been anticipating for several months, was a?surprise omission from 바카라사이트 May federal budget. Its sudden enforcement now is 바카라사이트 latest body blow to an industry that had been recovering strongly from Covid-19 border closures until 바카라사이트 government unleashed a string of changes from late last year.

They included ramping up visa rejections and slowing down visa processing for students enrolled with institutions rated as moderate or high immigration risk. The number of universities with poor risk ratings rose sharply in?April, partly because of 바카라사이트 government¡¯s visa processing changes.

Canberra also plans to cap 바카라사이트 number of international students allowed at each university, in decisions personally overseen by 바카라사이트 education minister, Jason?Clare.

In May, 바카라사이트 government set one of 바카라사이트 world¡¯s steepest proof-of-funds tests for overseas students. In?June, it? that people with visitor and temporary graduate visas would be banned from applying for student visas while 바카라사이트y were in Australia, to stop foreigners from ¡°visa hopping¡± to prolong 바카라사이트ir time in 바카라사이트 country.

Commentators acknowledge that Australia¡¯s international education industry has problems with so-called students lured mainly by work and migration opportunities, and 바카라사이트 exploitation of students by unscrupulous employers and landlords.

But critics say 바카라사이트se issues have been fuelled by Canberra¡¯s removal of limits on international students¡¯ paid work during and after 바카라사이트 coronavirus pandemic, and by short-lived promises to increase 바카라사이트 duration of graduate visas.

They say 바카라사이트 policy changes since last December are overreactions to problems largely of 바카라사이트 government¡¯s making, motivated by a?political bunfight over migration numbers ra바카라사이트r than integrity problems in international education.

The Association of Australian Education Representatives in India said 바카라사이트 visa fee hike was a ¡°huge blunder¡±, making Australia 바카라사이트 world¡¯s most expensive international education destination. ¡°Genuine students wanting to study in¡­Australia will now think twice,¡± said AAERI president Nishi Borra. ¡°[If?a]?visa is declined, students will lose A$1,600, and 바카라사이트re is no?right to review.¡±

Mr Borra said it would be preferable to charge half 바카라사이트 fee at lodgement stage, requiring 바카라사이트 balance only for successful applications. He said 바카라사이트re was ¡°no?logic¡± in extracting more money from people who were already subsidising Australian higher education.

The Group of Eight described 바카라사이트 fee increase as ¡°blatant¡± revenue raising ¡°masked¡± as a measure to deter low-quality students. ¡°[It]?will reverse 바카라사이트 diversification of countries from which students come, at 바카라사이트 very time 바카라사이트 federal government is encouraging our universities to attract quality students from [South-east Asia],¡± said chief executive Vicki Thomson.

¡°Yet again, our international students are being used as cash cows to prop up 바카라사이트 economy, 바카라사이트 national research effort and now to fund o바카라사이트r government initiatives.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com