Students must declare dependents when applying for a visa.
The Australian government has confirmed that new regulations regarding international students bringing dependents to the country officially came into effect on October 2nd. Speaking at the National Migration Conference, Assistant Minister for International Education Julian Hill said these changes are part of the government's broader immigration reform program.
Accordingly, most international students are no longer allowed to bring family members to Australia, except in certain exempted cases. Mr. Hill stated that students are only permitted to bring dependents to Australia in specific circumstances.
Exemptions apply to students pursuing a PhD, students receiving scholarships from the Australian Government or a foreign government, and students from ASEAN countries or Pacific Island nations. Dependents must be registered in the initial student visa application. According to Mr. Hill, students are not allowed to add dependents after the initial visa has been granted.
According to the Australian government, this measure aims to strengthen the integrity of the visa system and prevent the exploitation of family ties to bring people to Australia after students have started their studies. Similar regulations also apply to those holding Temporary Graduate visas, a temporary visa for international students after graduation .
Families already in Australia are subject to a transitional arrangement and are not retroactively affected by these changes. Mr. Hill affirmed that the Australian Government has no intention of separating families already residing in the country.
The timing of the implementation of restrictions on dependents was one of the points announced by Mr. Hill when presenting the next phase of Australia's immigration reform program.
Limit course changes.
According to Mr. Hill, after starting their main program, students are now only allowed to change their visa status while in Australia under three circumstances. First, students can extend their visa to have more time to complete their course, for example due to illness, failing a subject, or the educational institution ceasing operations. Second, students can transfer to a different educational institution as per regulations. Third, after completing their course, students can apply for a new student visa if they wish to continue studying a higher-level program under the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF).
Mr. Hill confirmed that applications submitted in Australia to transfer from higher education to higher-level vocational education and training (VET) courses will be prohibited. From July 1, 2027, students wishing to transfer to another institution will have to obtain a new student visa under a separate transfer visa scheme. Under this regulation, students must begin their studies at the institution that issued the Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) used for the visa application and complete at least six months of the main program.
Mr. Hill acknowledged that students may choose the wrong course and have legitimate reasons to transfer schools. However, he argued that the scale and trend of school transfers have reached a level that is concerning to the integrity of the system, hence the new requirement.
Students will not be allowed to begin their studies at a new institution before a new visa is issued. The new visa will retain the same expiration date as the original visa. According to Mr. Hill, this rule aims to prevent students from abandoning their original institution and transferring to one with lower tuition fees.
During the transition period, students are currently prohibited from transferring between campuses for the first 12 months after the start of their main program. This rule will continue until the new transfer visa scheme is implemented in July 2027.
Narrowing the path from certain temporary visas to student visas.
Another change has also come into effect, whereby Australia is closing some pathways from temporary visas to student visas. Those currently in Australia on Working Holiday Maker visas, training visas, and certain employer-sponsored work visas will no longer be permitted to apply for student visas while in the country.
Mr. Hill said these changes are part of a broader effort to reduce migration levels following Australia's reopening of its borders. He noted that net migration from overseas has fallen by nearly 50% from its post-COVID-19 peak, but the government believes further reductions are needed. “Further reductions are necessary to meet reasonable, balanced budget projections and to allow housing supply to keep pace with demand,” Mr. Hill said.
These changes come as the Australian government also seeks to stabilize the size of the Working Holiday Maker (WHM) program, which allows young people to travel to Australia for short-term work and tourism. According to Julian Hill, there are currently around 215,000 people participating in this program in Australia, a significant increase compared to before the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Australian government aims to stabilize the program's size at around 200,000 people. According to Mr. Hill, the changes will reinstate the length of stay limits for participants and bring the Working Holiday Maker program back to its original goal of promoting "cultural exchange and short-term employment."
Continue to attract international students but tighten management.
Regarding international education, Mr. Hill said that the Australian government remains committed to attracting international students while continuing to control the size and structure of the market. “Australia welcomes students who genuinely want to pursue a high-quality education in Australia,” he said.
“However, the government will not abandon its efforts to manage the size and structure of the international student market in Australia,” Mr. Hill said. He argued that for international education to continue to thrive, Australia needs to focus more on the integrity of the system and the student experience. The effectiveness of policies should be judged on quality, rather than solely on the number of international students Australia attracts.
Source: Kim Martin - The PIE News
Source: https://svvn.tienphong.vn/loat-thay-doi-chinh-sach-di-tru-cua-australia-tac-dong-the-nao-den-sinh-vien-quoc-te-post1881866.tpo
