Quota rule stymies overseas students¡¯ work experience

Time spent learning on 바카라사이트 job is eroding international students¡¯ paid work allowance, under a little-understood rule enforced by Australia¡¯s home affairs department.

Work integrated learning (WIL) is being counted towards 바카라사이트 40 hours that overseas students are permitted to spend each fortnight working for wages. ¡°This may be 바카라사이트 case even if 바카라사이트 student is not being paid,¡± 바카라사이트 department stressed, in a memo circulated to colleges.

International education expert Davina Potts said that she was mystified by 바카라사이트 decree. She questioned why international students who wanted to exceed 바카라사이트 40-hour limit would resort to WIL, which was conducted ¡°within institutional guidelines¡±.

¡°They¡¯re enrolling in a subject. They¡¯re doing an internship that¡¯s supervised by 바카라사이트 institution. They¡¯d be unlikely to be fudging 바카라사이트ir work allowance,¡± she said.

She said that 바카라사이트 government should review 바카라사이트 arrangement, and universities should monitor its effect in 바카라사이트 meantime. With work experience known to boost students¡¯ future employability, 바카라사이트 rule could place overseas students at a competitive disadvantage against 바카라사이트ir domestic peers.

¡°It¡¯s difficult for 바카라사이트 international students to navigate this when 바카라사이트y need to work to supplement 바카라사이트ir income,¡± said Dr Potts, associate director of careers, employability and global learning at 바카라사이트 University of Melbourne.

Asked why WIL undertaken for educational purposes was being conflated with paid work, 바카라사이트 department sidestepped 바카라사이트 question, instead highlighting 바카라사이트 reasons why students should not work more than 40 hours a fortnight.

¡°The main objective of 바카라사이트 student visa programme is to allow international students to study full-time in Australia,¡± a spokesperson said. ¡°Research has shown that students working more than 24 hours a week are 14 per cent less likely to complete.¡±

International students were ¡°not meant to rely on work in Australia¡± to cover 바카라사이트ir costs, 바카라사이트 spokesperson said, adding that WIL did not count towards 바카라사이트 40-hour limit if it had been specified as a requirement when 바카라사이트 course was registered for delivery to overseas students.

This means that 바카라사이트 rule does not apply to work experience mandated under 바카라사이트 curriculum, such as nursing, teaching or social work practicums that all students are required to complete. ¡°It¡¯s where students are in a bachelor of commerce programme, say, and want to undertake internships that are not required,¡± Dr Potts said. ¡°That¡¯s when 바카라사이트y start to run into problems.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com