Indians to benefit from Australian student visa 'simplification'

The AL review report, which was released by the Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection, Senator Michaelia Cash, has recommended that ALs 4 and 5 be scrapped.


The Australian education and training providers and other professionals engaged in the industry have, overall, welcomed the proposals to streamline the ALF.

"This news comes as a great relief for students from AL4 countries," Moninder Singh, CEO of a Sydney college, told IANS.

"For example, Indian students would be assessed at AL3 and funds required will be for 12 months only instead of 24 months." he explained. "But the changes would have a negative impact on the AL3 (higher education sector) applicants from India as the funds for AL3 applicants would be required to be provided by a close relative of the visa applicant."

According to industry experts, the previous Australian government's strict student visa policies led to the closure of dozens of privately-owned colleges. The last four-five years have also seen a steep fall in enrollments from India, which continues to be Australia's second largest source of international students.

"The Labour government devastated small to medium vocational training colleges in its zeal to 'reform' the much-maligned international education sector," said Deepak Chopra, a Melbourne-based senior vocational training professional.