Highlights
- Five changes announced to student visa
- International students contribute $40 billion annually
- International education supports 250,000 jobs
International students will be able to extend their visa-free of cost, those who hold a student visa but are offshore will be eligible to apply for a post-study work visa are some of the changes announced to student visa arrangements announced by the government.
The changes include:
- The Government will recommence granting student visas in all locations lodged outside Australia. This means when borders re-open, students will already have visas and be able to make arrangements to travel.
- International students will be able to lodge a further student visa application free of charge if they are unable to complete their studies within their original visa validity due to COVID-19.
- Current student visa holders studying online outside Australia due to COVID-19 will be able to use that study to count towards the Australian study requirement for a post-study work visa.
- Graduates who held a student visa will be eligible to apply for a post-study work visa outside Australia if they are unable to return due to COVID-19.
- Additional time will be given for applicants to provide English language results where COVID-19 has disrupted access to these services.
The government said these five visa changes will ensure international students are not worse off due to the coronavirus pandemic and that Australia remains competitive with other countries.
Acting Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs Alan Tudge said the changes provide assurance to international students already in Australia and those who haven’t been able to travel due to COVID-19 border closures.
“These measures back the international education sector – our fourth-largest export sector – and will assist its recovery,” Mr Tudge said.
“We are a welcoming nation with a world-class education system and some of the lowest rates of COVID-19 in the world. Students want to study here and we want to welcome them back in a safe and measured way when it is safe to do so.
“Doing so will not only support the education sector, it will also have flow-on effects for many local communities and businesses, including accommodation services, tourism, hospitality and retail.”
Minister for Education Dan Tehan said the changes would give international students confidence in their visa arrangements so they can make plans to study in Australia when it is safe to do so.
“Our remarkable efforts in controlling the spread of the virus mean we can begin to welcome back international students in a COVID safe way once state borders re-open and face-to-face learning resumes,” Mr Tehan said.
Expert calls it ‘token measures’
The measures announced by the government will do little to address the problem of universities facing financial issues, Mr Abul Rizvi, the former Deputy Secretary of the Department of Immigration, who is currently doing a PhD on Australia’s immigration policies says.
‘These largely token measures are trying to address the Government's failure to provide universities with access to Job Keeper. The above will do very little to address the much bigger problem of universities being in serious financial trouble,” Mr Rizvi said.
He also opines the decision to grant a post-study work visa to those stuck offshore will increase the underclass of people in Australia who are struggling to survive in the current job market.
“Need to remember, temporary graduates have no access to any form of social support, no access to Medicare and no assistance to get a job. The types of jobs many will get will have a few sick leave provisions if they must self-isolate.
“Are we just creating a growing underclass of people in Australia who will struggle to survive until the labour market strengthens? Many of the temporary graduates currently in Australia will be reliant on charities,” Mr Rizvi said.
The Government has previously relaxed work restrictions for international students working in the health, aged and disability care sectors during the COVID-19 pandemic.
