Immigration changes ‘another blow’ to international student market

Widespread changes to the skilled migration program announced by immigration minister Chris Evans yesterday could do further damage to Australia’s international student industry, according to some commentators.  

The government’s long-awaited overhaul gives priority to skilled migrants with a job offer from an Australian employer and better English language skills. There are also streamlined eligibility criteria for jobs and study from July 2010.

Around 20,000 applications lodged before September 2007 will be dumped and applicants refunded at an estimated cost of A$14 million.

Evans said the changes would mean “Australia is able to choose who migrates to this country, based on whether they are going to make a contribution. If they don’t have the English language skills, don’t have the trade skills and can’t get a job, then really, they shouldn’t be eligible for permanent residency.”

He described as “perverse” the current points system which rates a hospitality or hairdressing graduate from an Australian college above a Rhodes scholar. Under the old system, 580,000 foreign students undertook study in Australia last year, a 95 per cent increase over five years.

However, some private colleges warned the changes could see student numbers decline by half. A spokesman for a haidressing college in Sydney told the Sydney Morning Herald: “There’s going to be a catastrophic effect on the employment of Australian workers.”

The decision to dump 20,000 visa applications also received widespread coverage in the Indian media, with suggestions it would add to ill feeling already simmering after a spate of attacks on Indian students in Australia.

The news comes a week after the collapse of English language school GEOS left thousands of students stranded and creditors owed more than $10 million.

For a full explanation of the changes, click here.

By Martin Lane  ·  February 9th, 2010 at 8:40 am

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Comments


  1. greg cole
    9 Feb 10
    12:39 pm

    2. Well done the govt I say.

    Cooks and Hairdressers have been on the Migration Occupations in Demand List for years, the visa factories have been pumping out graduates of Cooking and Hairdressing who in turn get permanent residency. And guess what, there’s still a shortage of Cooks and Hairdressers as once they get PR they can do as they please, and they aren’t cutting hair or whipping up souffles.

    Some of these schools had it coming. It was a cleanout they had to have.

  2. Macca
    10 Feb 10
    9:36 am

    3. While I do agree with Greg. The real problem facing the International Education industry is the inability to think and plan strategically for the future of the industry that is Australia’s third largest export earner at $17 billion and employing more than 100,000.

    International education is more than just an economic driver. It brings untold benefits to our diplomatic and trade relations which engages Australian students, staff and communities in international activity.

    Many of the problems were created by the students own country men, here and in their home land

  3. Anonymous
    11 Feb 10
    4:34 pm

    4. i love u jaan

  4. Veronica
    17 Feb 10
    9:27 pm

    5. We didn’t mind taking their money for this training though, did we? Refund that!

  5. nish
    19 Feb 10
    8:38 pm

    6. This is a another racist action by kevin rudd and cris evans agains Brown colour Indians
    I think they dont want to get people with black and brown skin in to Australia

    But they should remember this country belongs to Aboroginese like me Other all peoples are migrants. Racism go to hell . we all got same blood colour Have’nt we?

  6. Annoyed Student
    7 Mar 10
    2:13 pm

    7. I agree with Veronica. As a student mid-way through her course I’d like to know now whether I’m likely to be shown the door before I commit another $6000 in fees for my next semster. My guess is that the government will dangle PR in front of me until I have forked out the money and then tell me I can’t stay.

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