Australian immigration investigates institutions over alleged law breaches
April 07 2009 by Ajay Hasija
Officials in Melbourne are investigating claims that 20 educational institutions operating in the region have breached Australian immigration laws.
Following raids of migration agents who were providing people who wanted to study in Australia with fake documents, the information that 20 institutions are being investigated has come to light through daily newspaper The Age.
Many of the investigations were actually launched in early 2008. A spokesperson for the Australian Immigration Department said, "The department is assessing allegations concerning 20 education providers that are operating out of Melbourne. Some of those investigations have been ongoing since early 2008. The department is not in a position to provide further information at this time as it might jeopardise the progress of those investigations."
There are fears that the investigations could be bad news for the income earned from attracting people to move to Australia to study. Foreign study is the third largest export income earner in the country and raises US$14.1 billion in direct income and US$ 12.6 billion in value-added goods income.
The enrolment of students from India has been flourishing in recent years, but experts fear the investigations could particularly jeopardise this trend.
See the latest Immigration News
