List of Recent Changes in Australian Student Visa

Australian immigration policy frequently undergoes some changes in order to meet immigrants’ needs, as well as to balance the migration rate in the country. Whether it is work permit visa, permanent residency visa or student visa for Australia, changes are introduced in each visa stream from time to time. 

The student visa stream has gone through some major changes in recent years. Therefore, international students with the dream of studying in Australia should keep themselves updatedon these changes in order to avoid unnecessary delays in their visa processing, as well as to have a comfortable stay in the country.

Here are a few major changes that the Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP) has introduced in student visa stream in recent years. 

 

Work Permit for Graduates

Since February 2013, overseas students pursuing a bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees from an Australian university can work in Australia for four years after their graduation. These new reforms were added to the Temporary Skilled Graduate visa (subclass 485).

English Language Proficiency Tests

Apart from EILTS, you can also present your PTE (Pearson Test of English), CAE (Cambridge Advance English test), and TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) scores to prove your English language proficiency. This reform was introduced in November 2011.

Visa Extension for PhD Students

Overseas students pursuing their doctoral degree in Australia are granted extension on their visa (Postgraduate Research Sector visa, subclass 574) until their research work is completed. 

Pre-Visa Assessment for Graduate Students

Students applying for Australian student visas for higher education (Bachelor’s degree or higher) are no longer required to go through Pre-Visa Assessments of level 3 and 4. 

Visa Costs

If you are sponsored for an Australian student visa under Common Wealth Program, then you are not required to submit the visa fee. In addition, since January 2012 visa cost for student visas has been lowered by 5%. 

Streamlined Visa Processing for Degree-Level Students

Student visas for higher education in Australia are processed under the streamlined visa processing arrangements since March 2012. The streamlined visa processing provides more flexible work rights to overseas students, since they are considered to be at lower immigration risk.

Students qualifying for streamlined visa processing can work up to 40 hours a fortnight instead of 20 hours a week. In addition, students pursuing Doctoral degree or Master’sin research are now allowed to work full-time after they have commenced their courses. Previously it was 20 hours a week for them too. 

To keep updated on the amendments made in Australia immigration policy you can take assistance of a certified immigration lawyer or check it on DIBP website. However, checking and understanding these updates on the website can be a daunting task for applicants, therefore, opting for an immigration consultant is usually preferred. However, you must ensure that the immigration consultant is approved by Australian government and has all the necessary credentials.