Perth, Australia
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Australia's visa policies are set to undergo a major overhaul with the government implementing stringent measures to curb the practice of "visa hopping" within the migration system.
Effective July 1, 2024, prospective international students will no longer be permitted to apply for a student visa while residing in the country on a visitor or temporary graduate visa. This decisive move was announced by Home Affairs Minister Clare O'Neil on June 12 and aims to address concerns surrounding individuals who strategically utilize temporary visas as a means to prolong their stay in Australia beyond the validity of their initial visa. The practice of "visa hopping" entails either briefly departing the country and re-entering on a new visa or seamlessly transitioning between various types of temporary visas permitted within the nation's borders.
The forthcoming regulations have drawn criticism from the education industry. Apprehensions have been raised that these changes unfairly penalize genuine prospective students who initially explore study options before committing to a particular institution. Industry experts contend that this policy shift could adversely impact reputable educational establishments that cater to such students. Moreover, the lack of data-driven evidence substantiating the policy's effectiveness has fueled concerns about its potential to hinder Australia's economic growth.
Traditionally, prospective students have favoured visitor visas as a means to explore study locations and institutions before applying for a student visa, a practice that the industry deems representative of genuine student behaviour and one that should be encouraged, rather than discouraged. The student visa reforms are part of a broader restructuring of Australia's higher education sector. In the coming months, additional measures such as enrollment caps for international students, and adjustments to temporary graduate visas are anticipated to be implemented.
Not too long ago,it was revealed that Australia has become a favorite place for students from Kenya.I believe other Anglo phone countries in Africa as well.Clearly here the Australia government is concerned about visitors extending their stay under the guise of becoming foreign students. Obviously not all foreign student have this hidden agenda in mind,as indicated in the article;some genuinely want to explore the possibility before they commit...
Well,some of you may recall that one of the main reasons that lead to Brexit was the influx of immigrants particularly from troubled third word countries.Could Australia be thinking along those lines and employing their own immigration control from third word countries,I wonder? Granted that it is not spelled out as"students from third world countries" but the veil is clear,I think.Could this be an issue if the "hoping" was done by students from USA,and UK?I would be interested to see the data on this "hoping".Obviously the Australia government is aware of the potential labeling of RACISTS should the data overwhelmingly indicate that the policy largely affects Africans.Who wants to be called a racist or xxxxphobia in today's global politics?