The DIAC claim the changes gives overseas students better protection.
Students who immigrate to Australia to do their studies have been given a boost by the Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenship.
The DIAC announced yesterday that overseas students who require new visas to complete their studies at another college or school will be exempt from paying the $540 student visa application fee.
The new measures have been put in place to protect students who are forced to apply for new student visas because of the closure of their college or school. Students who change their education provider are obliged to apply for a new student visa and previously they would be charged for this, even if the circumstances were beyond their control.
The DIAC have been meeting on new measures that would better protect thousands of overseas students who immigrate to Australia to study every year. The DIAC has recently been criticised by student bodies who claim they don’t do enough to protect foreign students from unscrupulous agencies.
This past year has also seen the closure of many education providers, leaving approximately 4,700 students desperately seeking alternative courses and providers. Senator Chris Evans stated: “We understand that these situations are not the fault of the student and the introduction of a fee exemption will ensure they are not shouldered with an additional financial burden.”
Those who have been affected by the closure of a school or college in 2009 are being advised to contact the DIAC for a refund if they’ve had to pay for a new student visa.
The DIAC have also raised the minimal financial requirements needed for students to apply to study in Australia to ensure that students can meet their living costs. From January 1st 2010, any student now wishing to migrate to Australia on a student visa will need to prove that they have access to at least $18,000 per year. Previously students have to prove an amount of $12,000 per year.
The Australian government says this is to reflect the higher living costs in Australia such as rising rents.
These latest measures will be implemented later this month, subject to approval by Parliament and are part of a bigger overhaul of the student visa program which includes better protection for students against fraudulent agencies and restricting access to eVisa.
Around 150 agents have had their access to eVisa suspended due to fraud or inactivity.
In September of this year we reported on how overseas students were being bullied by fraudulent agencies for advance payments and how many students were paying thousands to enrol on a course, only to arrive and be told that their courses had changed. In some instances students enrolling on nursing courses were arriving to find themselves enrolled onto courses for hairdressing.
The Australian National Union of students then called for an independent ombudsman to deal with complaints, a call that has so far been rejected by the government who claim that the regulations put in place, along with the new measures, is enough to protect overseas students.
Love Australia? Let us keep you informed...
- Join the Embrace Australia community today. Have your questions answered by our experts, start your own blog, get vital migration information and gain valuable insight from those who have already made the journey.
- Subscribe to our RSS Feed and have all our daily news and features delivered straight to your news reader.
- Join our mailing list -
