Australian Government has released the long-awaited Migration Review in form of the formal document “Migration Strategy: Getting migration working for the nation. For workers. For businesses. For all Australians.”
The document includes the action plan on strengthening the integrity and quality of international education through a set of measures which are summarized below:
- Bolster the student visa integrity unit in the Department of Home Affairs to reduce misuse of Australia’s student visa system
Implemented in late 2023
Under this measure, the Government has:
- Closed a loophole that allowed international students to switch to lower-quality education providers.
- Student visa applicants now need to show evidence of $24,505 in savings, which is a 17 per cent increase on previous levels.
- Invested $37.8m to bolster the capacity of the national VET regulator, ASQA, including through the establishment of an Integrity Unit to proactively identify and respond to integrity risks in the international VET sector.
- Strengthened the fit and proper person requirements that apply to VET providers.
- Increasing provider reporting requirements and acting to prohibit agent commissions for onshore transfers between providers.
The Government is also considering using its powers under Section 97 of the ESOS Act to issue suspension certificates to high-risk education providers.
The Government will also explore regulation of education agents through an expansion of the Office of the Migration Agents Registration Authority.
The closure of concurrent CoEs and course hopping to low-cost and low-quality VET providers have been welcome move by the higher education providers and genuine education agents. Establishment of integrity unit will also help clamp down on low-quality VET providers.
While students may be affected in short time to show the additional savings for living, the change is again positive as it gives a clearer picture on high cost of living in Australia.
The suspension powers will be a push towards quality and integrity in the sector as high-risk providers may risk finally facing penalties other than just the change in risk rating.
Regulation of the education agents is good but again the details will matter as OMARA may be able to regulate the agents who are onshore, but doubts remain towards authority on regulation of offshore agents.
- Bolster the student visa integrity unit in the Department of Home Affairs to reduce misuse of Australia’s student visa system
Implement visa processing priorities Ministerial Direction late 2023
Implement Genuine Student Test and Genuine Student Test Ministerial Direction early 2024
A new Genuine Student test will replace the existing Genuine Temporary Entrant requirement to acknowledge that post-study temporary migration (and beyond) pathways are available for those who may be eligible.
Two new Ministerial Directions will be introduced.
- Key area of consideration to include circumstances of the applicant, such as their academic or career progression and the usefulness of the intended study to their future career prospects.
- processing priority Ministerial Direction will prioritise student visa applications based on risk-level of providers and will come into effect by the end of 2023
At this stage GST does not seem too different from GTE but important to highlight the new Ministerial Director with focus on the circumstances of the applicant as a key criterion.
Other change is prioritising of low-risk provider applications. This may steer both genuine and non-genuine applicants towards low-risk providers as they look for priority and comparatively easy visa process.
- Increase English language requirements to improve the quality of students’ educational experience in Australia and reduce potential workplace exploitation
Implement early 2024
- The test score required for a Temporary Graduate visa will increase from an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) score (or equivalent) of 6.0 to 6.5
- The test score required for a Student visa will increase from IELTS (or equivalent) 5.5 to 6.0
- The test score required for students undertaking an English Language Intensive Course for Overseas Students (ELICOS) before their main course of study will increase from IELTS (or equivalent) 4.5 to 5.0
- the test score required for students undertaking university foundation or pathway programs that deliver reputable English language training will be IELTS (or equivalent) 5.5.
The move will possibly not affect the offshore new student visa applicants much as universities and Higher Ed institutes English requirements are already at higher level than that of DHA.
However, the change in requirement for application of temporary graduate visa may affect the international students after completion of their studies, especially in Vocational Sector or students coming from countries/ regions with low English ability.
- Strengthen requirements for international education providers
Implement in 2024
The Government will pursue measures to further strengthen integrity, quality, entry requirements and student support across the international education sector to target non-genuine providers.
This is a welcome measure where providers may be asked to review their entry requirements and the support for the international students.
- Restrict onshore visa hopping that undermines system integrity and drives ‘permanent temporariness’
Implement early to mid-2024
- Using the new Genuine Student test, the Government will require any eligible students applying inside Australia to provide evidence in their application to demonstrate that any subsequent course is furthering their career or academic aspirations.
- Prospective international students who cannot demonstrate this sensible course progression from their initial course of study will not meet the Genuine Student test.
- The Government will restrict Temporary Graduate visa holders from transferring back to student visas while onshore
The GST will likely be applicable for onshore students who change providers under course-hopping and may face issues during their subsequent visa process. While GTE was supposed to capture these issues, this was never applied for onshore students who were to certain extent freely able to move to lower-level courses and extend visas as well.
Restriction of TGV holders to go back to student visa is closing of another loophole which a number of students exploited as student visa was always an available option when TGV expired, and students were not eligible for any permanent visa and remaining on a temporary visa status for a number of years.
- Strengthen and simplify Temporary Graduate visas
Implement mid-2024
- Government is adjusting the length and eligibility of post study work rights.
- The maximum eligible age for a TGV will be reduced to 35.
- TGV Streams will be re-named as ‘Post-higher Education Work’ and ‘Post- Vocational Education Work’ streams.
- TGV processing times for the ‘Post-Higher Education Work Stream’ will be backed by a 21-day service standard.
- The work experience requirement for a Temporary Skills Shortage visa (and future Skills in Demand visa) will be changed to give TGV holders more opportunity to move on to a skilled visa. Proposed reforms to the points test will also give graduates working in skilled jobs faster pathways to permanent residency.
Shortening of PSW rights is an abrupt change especially as they were only extended recently but overall, they are still competitive as compared to other English speaking study destinations. Also, additional time is still on offer for regional area study.
Most other changes are positive including reducing the age limit of application to 35 as it aligns with age requirements for permanent visa options.
Re-naming of TGV streams, improvement in processing times and potential options with future skilled visa categories are welcome news that international students may look forward to.
Reforms to the points test is something potential migrants and international students will be watching closely as it will likely influence the demand of Australia as study destination.
- Support international students and graduates to realise their potential
Consultation to begin early to mid-2024
- The Government will partner with education providers, unions, industry and governments to incorporate more work integrated learning (such as professional workplace placements or industry-partnered projects) into tertiary courses to ensure students are better prepared for Australia’s skilled workforce.
- The Government has commissioned a study through Jobs and Skills Australia to better analyse international student outcomes and pathways into the labour market
A long-standing complaint with international students has been not much support on offer for work or training opportunities in the same field of study. So, this initiative is a positive message from the Government to focus on genuine students and support to help them integrate in Australian skilled workforce.
