Drastic Immigration Changes for Australia

Australia introduced drastic changes to its immigration policy to curb the labour shortage & in making its shores open to better & skilled immigrants by raising points for IELTS scores, changes in Age factor & other important points.

These changes are done for using the resources for contribution to the economy of Australia.

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TOEFL makes its way for Australia student visa

TOEFL test made its way for Australian student visas, breaking the decade old monopoly of IELTS, being conducted by IDP Australia, with joint partners British Council & University of Cambridge.

Administered by ETS from America, TOEFL is presently conducted online (computer based), with same four modules being tested for. What is to be seen is with its poor infrastructure & non-proffessional test conducting practices, can TOEFL make a dent in the firmly established market of IELTS in India & China, where students always prefer pen & paper exams, & an exam which makes tham more comfortable.

Free for all at Sydney’s Villawood Detention Centre, in Australia

Over one hundred Asylum seekers & other detainees at Sydneys Villawood detention centre set fire to many buildings with an Oxygen cylinder being set alight, which led to explosion. Fire fighters had tough time in controlling the fire in over nine buildings.

Protesters climbed atop the roof tops & hurled tiles, furniture at the officials. Over 400 people were detained, including those who have overstayed or Asylum applications pending.

Australia Student Visa Rules Relaxed

All the student visa applications that would be lodged on or after April 01, 2011, the students would need to show funds for only two years of the studies. At present the requirement is for three years. In future funds are required to be only three-months old against the six-months old current requirement. As per the new law students can show the funds of any individual against the current legal requirement, which limits the sponsorship to applicant’s spouse, parents, siblings, grandparents and uncle or aunt meeting a certain criterion.

But the fact to be seen is that will these new immigration law help Australia to counter the rising Australian Dollar, filling in the empty couffeurs of Australian education sector facing the worst ever crisis. As there are a few takers of Australian education in the wake of tough immigration rules which is the prime reason of attraction for Indians than to education.

Australia under pressure to reconsider stringent student visa rules

Australia is considering relaxing its student visa norms, with pressure mounting on the country after relaxed visa norms applied by Canada & New Zealand diverting the potential students to these countries. .The federal government has bowed to pressure from the country’s tertiary institutions over international student visa criteria, The Age reported on its website.
Critics say that the delay in processing student visas has hurt the international students market in the country & often changes in Australian immigration law further did the job to divert students to countries like New Zealand & Canada. Universities, Colleges cried foul over the attitude of policy makers, with their budgets shrinking & definite job cuts to be applied.
Announcing a review of student visas Wednesday, Tertiary Education Minister Chris Evans conceded that changes were necessary to prop up the ailing sector, worth $4.5 billion to Victoria state each year.
“The Australian international education sector has come under increasing pressure as a result of the rising value of the Australian dollar, the ongoing impact of the global financial crisis in some countries, and growing competition from the United States, New Zealand and Canada for international students,” Senator Evans said.
New measures to shore up student numbers include: Reducing assessment levels from April 2011, including the higher education visa assessment levels for applicants from China and India. The most recent international student figures show a 1.4 percent decline in enrolments since December last year - in stark comparison to the past eight years, in which the sector grew 11 percent a year.
Senator Evans said the review would consider ways to “better manage immigration risk” and recommend ways to improve partnerships between education providers and visa-processing arrangements.
Headed by former NSW minister for the Sydney Olympics Michael Knight, the review is scheduled to report back to Senator Evans and Immigration Minister Chris Bowen by mid-2011.
Australia should understand the needs of immigration of the international students before formulating policies, any misuse of these policies is not the strength of applicant, but is weakness of the immigration authorities.

Latest changes in Australian Immigration

Australian Skilled Occupations List

Accounting and Finance

Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing

Engineering

Shipping

Communications

Information Technology

Health Care & Medical Industry

Aircraft Maintenance Trades

Education

Architecture

Surveying and Valuing

Social and Community Services

Science and Research

Construction and Building

Automotive Trades

Metal and Machinist Trades

Construction Trades

Electrical Trades

General Trades