Australia opens visa gate for students

Zeke Bentley, principal migration lawyer at Queensland-based The Migration

Place (www.themigrationplace.com),

said: “As always, timing is everything in migration law, and it is important

to lodge as soon as possible before the rules are changed, yet again.”

Demand for places from overseas students at Australian universities is

expected to spike among those immigrants keen on settling down there after

their studies. Australia is already the most popular destination for British

expats, with more than one million residing Down Under.

Applications for student visas are already on the rise thanks to Australia’s

new streamlined visa application system, according to its Immigration

Department.

Its data also shows that almost 95 per cent of visa applications were

successful, compared with just under 90 per cent in the same period last

year.

The International Education Association of Australia (www.cibis.com.au)

said the figures are heading in the right direction to encourage more

foreign students to apply to Australian universities and colleges.

Its executive director Phil Honeywood said: “Australia has also been the

beneficiary of a recent push against student visas being approved in the UK

and the US. We’re now seeing much more skills-focused student visa

applications.”

Earlier this year the government simplified its visa

application process for highly skilled workers as it looks to

compete for the best global talent with London, New York, Hong Kong and

Singapore.

It introduced a new short-stay visa for workers heading to Australia to

perform highly specialised work. A new streamlined medical treatment visa

that provides for a stay of up to 12 months has also been launched.

Australia opens visa gate for students