Amended Visa Laws Help Australia Attract Overseas Students
27/05/2008 by Charlotte Norman
The number of students wishing to study in Australia is on the rise. Since the Australian government amended student visa laws it seems the country is becoming an increasingly popular destination for future academics the world over.
The new rules allow those whom have been granted student visas to work whilst they study. This reform is thought to be part of the governments' initiative to attract skilled workers to help solve the country's skills shortage.
Previously students have had to apply separately for permission to work part-time whilst undertaking their studies in the country. However thanks to the new processing laws students which have been granted a visa to study will receive permission to work with their visa grant.
This amendment will be of benefit to both the primary student and any family members travelling with them on their student visa.
Speaking of the benefits of the law change, Chris Evans Australia's Minister for Immigration and Citizenship said "It will reduce red-tape for students wanting to work in Australia and also allow more efficient use of department resources…Student visas will be granted with work rights attached, removing the need for people to make a separate application."
The changes are thought to play a fundamental part in persuading overseas students to study in Australia. The changes will enable individuals to work for up to twenty hours a week from the moment their course starts. This is not only beneficial to potential students as a financial bonus, but many see it as invaluable route into big business; with them developing relationships and contacts with the hope of developing upon them after their studies.
Australian immigration worker Michael Atkinson of www.globalvisas.com says "Australia is becoming a popular destination for students and workers alike offering a wealth of opportunities. These more liberal immigration policies specifically surrounding student visas is sure to add further fuel to those wishing to study abroad. I think in time this increase migration will have a positive effect on Australia's skills pool."
Such processes are hoped by the Australian government to go some way into solving the skills shortage problem. Statistics show that a large proportion of overseas students specifically Indians apply for permanent residence following the completion of their study courses. This will subsequently benefit Australia as it will increase the number of trained individuals in the country therefore helping them to gain speed in a global marketplace.
A particularly strong area of student migration has emerged between India with applications for students' visas to Australia from India hitting around 50,000 this year alone; an astonishing growth of 45 percent.
Atkinson further adds that "The number of student visas will increase significantly from this year onwards with the Australian Government recently relaxing its visa system to allow those studying in Australia to be automatically eligible to work part-time during their courses."
This increased student migration is supported by figures from the Australian Statistics Bureau which shows that Indians have emerged as the fastest-growing group of migrants entering Australia. Statistics show them lying in third place only behind the British and New Zealanders.
As estimated in 2007 Australia has a total population of around 200,000 Indian origin residents, almost double than at the start of the millennium.
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