AUSTRALIAN IMMIGRATION NEWS

Universities call for easing of restrictions on Australian student visas

Friday, 6 May 2011

A significant drop in students from India and China has put many self-funded Australian universities and other higher education providers in deep financial crisis. Therefore, they are calling on the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) to ease visa restrictions for student arrivals from these countries.

The universities focus mostly on revamping the Assessment Level system which decides the key requirements like financials and English Language requirements for the international students interested in Australian education.

Student from India and China are currently classified under Assessment Level 3 and 4 and when the level goes up, the visa requirements become stringent.

Universities Australia (UA) - a body representing educational institutions in Australia - has criticised the eligibility criteria for international students to qualify for an Australian visa in their submission to the Knight Review of Student Visa Program.

"Broadly, the extraordinary burden placed on high quality university students from Assessment Level 3 and 4 countries, particularly in terms of financial proof, is critically prohibitive to the ongoing sustainability of the international education industry." quoted from an UA's statement.

UA suggested that more flexible eligibility criteria, tailored to suit a candidate based on trustworthiness and potential for fraud should be made. For example, certain regions of Indian have higher rates of fraud than others.

"In India and China, if high rates of fraud and non-compliance exist in Punjab and Fujian respectively, then they should attract a much higher Assessment Level compared to other regions within those large countries" UA stated.