June 16th, 2024 at 05:20 am

Australia Visa Restrictions for Migrants and Students in 2024 | Australia Visa Update

Major immigration measures have been proposed by the Australian government in an attempt to curb the issue of “Visa hopping,” which is the practice of temporary visa holders prolonging their stay through repeated visa applications. The objective of these revisions is to tighten visa requirements while maintaining system integrity.

Together with other factors, visa hopping can be blamed for the rising number of ex-international students who are temporarily living in Australia. These changes will help close this gap and put an end to this behavior.

Temporary Graduate Visa holders will have to leave Australia or look into other immigration options, like ones that would let them stay permanently. Those with visiting visas who wish to pursue education must apply for their visas from outside of Australia. If they meet the standards, those who apply from outside Australia and want to study there will be given an Australian student visa.

This blog post outlines the primary modifications and restrictions to the Australia Visa program that will go into effect on July 1st, 2024.

What are the Key Reforms?

The major features of Australia’s significant visa reforms are as follows:

• Visitors will no longer be able to convert to student visas while in Australia, as a measure to curb the misuse of visitor visas for prolonged visits. The Australian government reports that between July 1, 2023, and May 31, 2024, there were over 36,000 applications for the tourist-to-student track, showing a growing trend in Australia.
• Holders of temporary graduate visas are not allowed to extend their stay by applying for an onshore student visa to prevent graduates from circumventing the regular migration procedures by frequently changing visa categories.
• The government will shorten the duration of Post-study Work Privileges for international students and decrease the age limit for some Visa categories to make it more difficult for people to abuse the system.
• The adjustments also include stricter requirements for English language competency in an attempt to ensure that immigrants have the language abilities necessary to contribute significantly to Australian society.

Goals of the New Visa Reforms

In an attempt to maintain the integrity of the immigration system and stop its abuse, the government is strengthening visa requirements. These adjustments are part of a larger plan to control population growth and guarantee that the migration system provides the labor and skills required without unduly taxing the system’s resources.

The aims of the Visa changes are also to guarantee that the immigration system remains equitable and efficient in satisfying Australia’s demand for skilled labor, promoting economic development, and enhancing societal welfare.

Impact on Migrants and Policy

It is envisaged that these modifications would lead to a fairer system for legitimate immigrants who contribute significantly to Australian society. The government forbids the practice of “Visa hopping,” ensuring that opportunities are available to those who go by the law and fulfill their visa requirements.

While the goal of these modifications is to make the immigration system stronger, they also pose challenges for lawmakers in terms of ensuring that the new regulations are effectively implemented and maintained. To address any new issues, it will be crucial to regularly monitor and make adjustments.

Major Reasons for the Visa Reform

The goal of the activity is to address a concern that was identified in an October 2023 study by the Gratton Institute. It was found that many individuals with Temporary Graduate Visas routinely return to complete their studies to extend their stay in Australia.

Integrity strengthening, a student visa initiative of the Australian government, aims to ensure that only eligible students receive visas and that those who finish their studies in Australia have the opportunity to contribute to Australia’s economic development.

According to the study, there were more than 150,000 international students in Australia last year with student visas—a rise of more than 30% from the year before. This announcement aligns with changes to Australia’s higher education system, where it is expected that limitations on foreign enrollment will be decided upon during the next three months.