September 25th, 2024 at 06:01 am

Australian International Students Running Out of Time Due to Visa Delays

Longer wait periods and uncertainty for students, especially those from Vietnam, are being caused by immigration officials’ shift in focus from student visas to asylum applications, which is putting pressure on Australia’s visa processing system.

Australia’s Shift from Student Visas to Asylum Cases

Immigration officers are being diverted from processing student visas to managing refugee cases due to an increase in asylum petitions. Longer delays are anticipated as a result of this change for students, particularly those from important regions like Malaysia, China, Vietnam, and India.

Delays for Vietnamese Students: Waiting up to 5 months

Vietnamese students are having to wait a long time—up to five months—for their student visas to Australia. At 78.7%, the approval rate is at its lowest point in eighteen years. There are currently over 37,000 Vietnamese students studying in Australia, therefore, the length of the wait is a major worry.

Cap on International Student Numbers for 2025

By 2025, Australia intends to cap the number of international students it accepts. This cap, which is lower than pre-pandemic levels, may limit students’ access to major colleges, lesser universities, and vocational programs.

The Struggles for Temporary Graduates Seeking Residency

Graduates temporarily are also having trouble making the switch to permanent residence. The number of graduates increased to over 216,000 by mid-2024, however, only roughly 32,000 of them were able to obtain permanent residency in 2022–2023, underscoring the difficulties these students have in relocating to Australia.

Vietnamese students in particular are finding it more difficult to get Australian visas due to rising asylum claims and new student caps. Prospective students ought to be aware of these changing circumstances and make plans in advance.

Changes In Australia’s Student Visa Rules

1. Greater Need for English Proficiency

The government of Australia has increased the English proficiency requirements for applicants seeking a student visa to guarantee that overseas students can fully engage in and profit from their studies in Australia.

• Prior Requirement: Lower required minimum scores on assessments such as PTE, TOEFL, or IELTS.
• Higher minimum scores that demonstrate a greater command of the English language are the new requirement.
• Impact: Although this modification guarantees that students can interact more effectively with their coursework and everyday life in Australia, non-native English speakers may find it to be an additional challenge.

2. A Rise in Financial Requirements

The financial criteria for international students have been raised by the Australian government to make sure they have enough money to cover their stay.

• Lower financial proof for living expenses and tuition was the previous requirement.
• Higher evidence of money to cover living expenses, tuition, and travel expenditures is the new requirement.
• Impact: Although it might make it more challenging for students from lower-income households to study in Australia, this attempts to limit the number of students who might experience financial difficulties while in Australia.

3. Procedures to Disallow Unauthentic Students

To preserve the integrity of the student visa program, additional regulations have been implemented to keep non-authentic students—those who come to work instead of study—from entering the nation.

• Assessment Criteria: A closer examination of the goals, training, and national ties of applicants.
• Enhanced Monitoring: Consistent oversight to guarantee that students adhere to the terms of their visas.
• Impact: This lessens the abuse of student visas, but it might make it more difficult for those who are students to apply.

4. Doubling of Application Fees for Visas

For prospective students, the process has become much more expensive due to the more than doubling of the visa application fee.

• Previous Charge: About AUD 630.
• AUD 1,600 is the new fee.
• Impact: Some students may decide not to apply as a result of this significant rise, and demand may transfer to other nations with cheaper application prices.

5. Graduates over 35 are not eligible for temporary graduate visas

Temporary graduate visas now have new age requirements to give preference to recent graduates.

• Former Policy: Temporary Graduate Visas had no age restriction.
• New Policy: Only graduates under 35 years old are eligible.
• Impact: Limiting options for older graduates, aligns the policy with expectations for career advancement and job entry.

6. Reversing the Two-Year Extension for Temporary Graduate Visas

The government has decided to rescind its earlier decision to give some graduates two further years of temporary graduation visas.

• Former Policy: A further two-year extension for graduates who qualify.
• New Policy: Regular visa term without an additional six months.
• Impact: Graduates’ career chances may be impacted by the fact that they now have less time to obtain work experience and look for jobs in Australia.

7. Establishing the Genuine Temporary Entrant (GTE) Requirements

To make sure that students truly plan to stay in Australia temporarily for education, the Genuine Temporary Entrant (GTE) requirements have been tightened.

• Criteria: In-depth autobiographies and proof of a desire to return home after finishing school.
• Assessment: A more thorough analysis of the goals and aspirations of applicants.
• Impact: Although it complicates the application procedure, this attempts to discourage people who want to immigrate permanently through student visas.

8. Tighter Examination of Educational Providers

The government has tightened regulation of educational institutions that accept international students to raise the standard of instruction.

• Regulations: Regular audits and stricter compliance standards.
• Consequences: Institutions that break the rules risk fines or losing their capacity to accept foreign students.
• Impact: This contributes to upholding high standards in education but may limit the number of universities accessible to students.

9. Enhanced Assistance for High-Need Domains

The government has put policies in place to entice overseas students to enroll in programs that address Australia’s skills gaps, especially in the fields of education and health.

• Scholarships, lowered costs, and accelerated visa processing are available as incentives for high-need sectors.
• Policies that direct students toward professions that address Australia’s long-term needs are encouraging.
• Impact: Students’ ability to select their favorite courses may be restricted, even if this helps close important skill gaps.