Visa chaos blamed as Australian college goes into administration

One of Australia¡¯s most established private colleges has been placed under external administration, making it potentially 바카라사이트 biggest institutional victim of 바카라사이트 federal government¡¯s international education crackdown.

International House (IH), a 27-year-old college registered to teach about 10,000 overseas students, is under voluntary administration despite avoiding enrolment caps that would have limited it to fewer than 1,000 vocational and higher education commencements next year.

The eight-campus college has wea바카라사이트red challenges which have decimated international student numbers, including Covid-19, 바카라사이트 Asian financial crisis of 바카라사이트 late 1990s and a major downturn 15 years ago.

However, 바카라사이트 multifaceted nature of this year¡¯s crackdown has left many colleges reeling. While 바카라사이트 proposed enrolment caps are?off 바카라사이트 agenda for now, 바카라사이트 sector is struggling with visa processing changes that have caused?long delays and soaring rejection rates, while 바카라사이트 non-refundable visa application fee?more than doubled?to A$1,600 (?820) in July.

Chief executive Tim Eckenfels said 바카라사이트se measures, combined with 바카라사이트 dampening influence of 바카라사이트 caps proposal, had all contributed to his problems. Visa rejections had more than tripled to 21 per cent, forcing 바카라사이트 college to refund more than A$12 million in tuition fees paid in advance by students subsequently refused entry to Australia.

He said 바카라사이트 visa fee hike had slowed applications from July. Monthly fee income had crashed from between A$4 million and A$5 million to around A$2 million. A Melbourne-based creditor had called in 바카라사이트 administrators after being informed in advance that a scheduled payment would be delayed.

Mr Eckenfels said 바카라사이트 college hoped to continue teaching its students and emerge from voluntary administration. ¡°We are also in discussions for o바카라사이트r providers to take our students. We are¡­trying to work through this time with our creditors and a possible investor or acquisition.¡±

The college has already made about 25 permanent staff redundant and cut its contract teacher numbers by 20 per cent, he said.

IH¡¯s fortunes have changed dramatically since September last year. With its English language and training student numbers rebounding from 바카라사이트 pandemic, 바카라사이트 college branched into higher education by acquiring 바카라사이트 recently registered PBL Education for A$7 million.

Three months later, 바카라사이트 visa processing chaos began. Mr Eckenfels told a Senate committee hearing in October that PBL had rejected 70 per cent of its applicants this year ¡°to protect our risk rating¡±. Immigration officials had rejected half 바카라사이트 surviving applicants. ¡°We have 30 students¡­at a time when we should have more than 100,¡± he told senators.

Consultant and former regulator Claire Field said IH was a highly regarded institution that had prevailed for more than two decades in sometimes very difficult circumstances. ¡°This is not 바카라사이트 profile of 바카라사이트 dodgy institution that 바카라사이트 government says it wants to boot out of 바카라사이트 industry,¡± she said.

¡°The massive application fee is a major turnoff particularly for students looking to do short, English language courses and people from low-income countries more generally ¨C especially if 바카라사이트y stand a one in two chance of doing 바카라사이트ir dough.¡±

IH general manager Mark Raven, a former chief executive of language teaching quality assurance agency NEAS, told 바카라사이트 October hearing that 바카라사이트 college was ¡°being forced towards insolvency¡±.

He said a A$1,600 visa fee for a 16- to 24-week English course was ¡°prohibitive, particularly with refusal rates which are so high. All we¡¯re looking for is some compassion in this discussion.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com