From 1 July 2024, people with Temporary Graduate, Visitor, and Maritime Crew visas will not be able to apply for a Student visa while they are in Australia. Along with the visas that already cannot be used to apply for a Student visa in Australia, the full list of visa holders who cannot apply for a Student visa in Australia will include:
Subclass 995 (Diplomatic Temporary) – primary visa holders only
Subclass 426 (Domestic Worker (Temporary) – Diplomatic or Consular)
Visa hopping has led to more former international students staying in Australia temporarily. These changes, along with other measures, will help stop this practice.
Temporary Graduate Visa holders should leave Australia or find skilled jobs and other visa options that could lead to permanent residency. Visitor visa applicants who want to study must apply for their Student visa from outside Australia.
Student visa applicants who genuinely want to study in Australia can apply from outside the country. Those who meet the criteria will get a Student visa.
Between 1 July 2023 and the end of May 2024, the government received over 36,000 student visa applications from visitors already in Australia. The Minister accused these applicants of trying to "subvert the Government’s strengthened offshore student visa integrity measures," but provided no additional evidence to support this claim.
The Grattan Institute found that 32% of Temporary Graduate Visa holders go back to studying when their visa expires (Graduates in Limbo, October 2023). The report suggested that these graduates return to study to extend their stay in Australia. The government used this finding to justify its decision that Temporary Graduate Visa holders cannot apply for Student Visas while in Australia.
Another reason given for the broader decision to restrict onshore visa applications is that the number of international students staying on a second or subsequent student visa grew by over 30%, reaching more than 150,000 in 2022-23.
The announcement ends with “the Government is on track to halve net overseas migration by next financial year.” This news leaves the international education sector shaking its head again.
Sources and Credits:
https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/programs-subsite/migration-strategy/Documents/migration-strategy.pdf
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