This new requirement will affect all student visas, regardless of the student’s country of origin or assessment level. Each prospective student will be assessed on whether their individual circumstances indicate that their main aim is for a temporary stay in Australia and that their intention is to not stay in Australia after their studies. The Australian Immigration Department will look to identify people who are looking to come to Australia on a student visa for motives other than gaining an education: to work, migrate or seek asylum, for example.
At this point it is unclear how each student will be considered and the visa official will have to make a personal judgment. PIER recommends that if there is a possibility that a student may not be considered a “genuine student”, the agent should help them prepare a study plan for their education pathway in Australia and a statement of their intentions after they finish their studies to return home (or leave Australia). Note that undertakings to leave Australia following studies would not be binding, but would provide the visa officials with the information they need to make a positive decision.
Some examples that might cause a visa official to doubt that a student is genuine are:
- The economic circumstances of the student gaining a particular qualification reduces the likelihood for them to return home, as they couldn’t make sufficient money in a related career in their home country.
- The course considered is not consistent with their current level of education of the prospective student. For example, a graduate student seeks to undertake a trade qualification in an unrelated field.
- If on a previous visit to Australia, they did not comply with the conditions of their visa.
Further information can be found http://www.immi.gov.au/students/_pdf/2011-genuine-temporary-entrant.pdf
English Language Test – More options than IELTS
The Immigration Department will accept test scores from alternative English Language tests than IELTS. IELTS is still accepted.
The test equivalencies the department will be using are reproduced below:
Test score equivalencies for the alternative tests are provided below:
| Test score equivalencies for the alternative tests are provided below: IELTS SCORE Band | 4.0 | 4.5 | 5.0 | 5.5 | 6.0 | 6.5 | 7.0 | 7.5 | 8.0 | 8.5 | 9.0 |
| Test of English as a Foreign Language internet based Test (TOEFL iBT) | 31 | 32 | 35 | 46 | 60 | 79 | 94 | 102 | 110 | 115 | 118 |
| PTE Academic | 29 | 30 | 36 | 42 | 50 | 58 | 65 | 73 | 79 | 83 | 86 |
| Cambridge English Advanced (CAE) from Cambridge ESOL test scores | 32 | 36 | 41 | 47 | 52 | 58 | 67 | 74 | 80 | 87 | 93 |
Financial Easing of arrangements for Assessment Level 3 & 4
Students applying under AL 3 will need to supply evidence of 18 months of funds (rather than 24 months previously).Students applying under AL 4 will need to supply evidence for 24 months of funds (rather than 36 months previously). If showing a cash deposit, the savings history will only be for 3 months (not 6 months as currently)
More information: http://www.immi.gov.au/students/_pdf/2011-vet-schools-non-award.pdf
Removal of English Language Requirements for Assessment Level 4 ELICOS Students
Independent ELICOS (subclass 570) visa who are subject to AL 4 will no longer be required to provide evidence of an English language proficiency test to support their claims for the grant of a student visa.AL 4 applicants for ELICOS courses must provide evidence of their English language proficiency to their proposed education provider rather than the department as is the case for all other assessment levels currently.
More Information: http://www.immi.gov.au/students/_pdf/2011-elicos.pdf
PVA processing Finishes
AL 3 and AL 4 student visa applications made outside Australia will need to include CoEs as part of their student visa applications.Education providers will no longer receive a PVA letter before issuing CoEs to students. This change is intended to reduce the time it takes to process a student visa.
More information: http://www.immi.gov.au/students/_pdf/2011-visa-processing-improvements.pdf
Homestay Fees
Pre-paid formal homestay fees will be allowed to be included in the financial assessment process (but not pre-paid rental accommodation or private homestay arrangements).More Information: http://www.immi.gov.au/students/_pdf/2011-vet-schools-non-award.pdf
Further Changes to come
The government has proposed that the new streamlined visa processing arrangements for universities and post study work-rights will be implemented in the first half of 2012. However at this stage no further details have been released regarding this recommendation.Source: PIER education agent bulletin
