Universities call for permanent Australian visas for post-grads
March 31 2010 by Liam Clifford
Australian universities are calling for a new post-graduate Australian visa to be introduced in order to enable those who have gained their qualifications in Australia to secure permanent residency after they graduate.
The Australian Federal Government is in the process of
reviewing its skills-based points system for Australian immigration. Changes to the list of
skills shortages are due to come into effect later this year.
The Group
of Eight is the representative body of Australia’s top universities. In its
submission on the points test, the Group of Eight has suggested that PhD and
Masters students be eligible to apply for a three year Australian visa after
they graduate. This new visa should provide a clear pathway to permanent
residency - allowing them to continue to live and work in Australia.
The
new visa has been suggested as a way for Australia to retain high-calibre
international students who, if they were allowed to remain living in Australia
after graduation, could make a positive contribution to Australian
society.
Max King from Monash University, said: "[The Government is]
concerned about the number of graduates we have from PhDs in particular and are
looking at ways to solve a problem we can see coming, that we won't have enough
researchers in the future unless we do something about it now."
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