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Universities Calling for Stricter Student Visa Rules
Dylan Lautner
Australia, August 20, 2009 - There has been growing concern that students who apply for visa are using this primarily as a pathway to permanent residence instead of prioritizing their educational needs. Universities Australia (UA) are calling for the Australian Government to implement stricter rules with regards to vocational training.
In its submission to the senate inquiry, UA says "Regrettably the cheap and dirty route to residency has been encouraged and promoted by some offshore education agents and institutions."
UA is also asking for better immigration criteria that focuses more on advanced skills and educational quality. "Such a focus is also needed for the pathways to provide long-term national benefits and to counter any opportunistic education enrolments in some tertiary areas," says Universities Australia chief executive Glenn Withers
Senator Chris Evans, Minister for Immigration & Citizenship, said last month that Australia will be focusing more on skilled migration to attain permanent residency. Hopefully, this will curb the number of Australian migration agents that abuse the use of student visas.
The immigration department had established a "high level taskforce" to ensure the integrity of student visa programs, said a spokesman. This includes a temporary increase in the number of applicants being interviewed.
Author Site
8/24/2009
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