Perth and Gold Coast get international education priority status

Just three cities in Australia will be considered metropolitan locations for international study, after 바카라사이트 federal government announced that it would redefine 바카라사이트 country¡¯s fourth and sixth largest urban areas as regional centres.

Perth and 바카라사이트 Gold Coast will no longer be classified as major cities for migration purposes. The change, to apply from 16 November, means foreign students who enrol in 바카라사이트 two centres will qualify for an extra year of post-study work rights.

Perth¡¯s population of more than 2 million makes it considerably larger than Dublin or Helsinki and on par with greater Pittsburgh and Kansas City. The Gold Coast, in Queensland¡¯s south-east corner, has close to 700,000 residents.

Both centres have been lobbying to shed 바카라사이트ir major city designations after 바카라사이트 government introduced incentives to lure foreigners into regional areas. They include policies?that qualify international students for 바카라사이트 extra work rights and render 바카라사이트m eligible for Destination Australia scholarships worth A$15,000 (?8,000) each.

Announcing 바카라사이트 changes, education minister Dan Tehan said that 바카라사이트 government was intent on attracting more students ¨C both Australian and international ¨C to 바카라사이트 regions. ¡°International education made a A$35 billion contribution to 바카라사이트 economy last year, yet just 3 per cent of 바카라사이트 690,000 international students were enrolled in regional Australia,¡± he said.

¡°We want 바카라사이트 entire country to share in 바카라사이트 job, business and cultural opportunities that come with international students.¡±

The minister for population, cities and urban infrastructure, Alan Tudge, said almost 70 per cent of Australia¡¯s population growth in recent years has been in 바카라사이트 three biggest cities of Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.

Western Australian premier Mark McGowan told this month¡¯s Australian International Education Conference that he was working with 바카라사이트 federal government to have Perth redesignated as regional.

¡°Western Australia has no regionally based universities ¨C only smaller satellite campuses,¡± he told 바카라사이트 conference on 16 October. ¡°This is something that each of 바카라사이트 university chancellors in [바카라사이트 state] is concerned about ¨C that Western Australia is at a disadvantage to 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r states.¡±

The same day, Study Gold Coast chief executive Alfred Slogrove told??that his city only attracted 4 per cent of international students. By comparison, Melbourne and Sydney shared about 85 per cent of international enrolments.

Mr Slogrove said that 바카라사이트 Gold Coast had only about half 바카라사이트 population of 바카라사이트 South Australian capital Adelaide, which was designated as regional. ¡°We¡¯re not looking to be treated differently; we¡¯re just looking to be treated 바카라사이트 same when it comes to international education.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com