Indian students in Australia on a rise again

May 15, 2012 16:11
Indian students in Australia on a rise again

Destination Australia seems to be catching up again say experts. The fear of going to Australia engulfed the Indian students, since 2010. Fears of racial attacks and the strong Oz dollar down played the adventure spirits. Subsequently, enrolment for student visas seems to have come down drastically. But as per recent stats, it shows that there is a sharp surge in the enrolment.

According to the Immigration Department, over 183,000 international students were granted visas in the nine months to March 31 — up 4.5 per cent compared with the same period in 2010-11. In 2011-12 until 31 March, of all student visas granted, 19.5 per cent were to Chinese nationals while 14 per cent were Indian nationals. Indian numbers jumped 43 per cent, compared with the previous year, to reach 27,500. Offshore grant rates for Indian nationals rose considerably to 61.5 per cent during January-March this year compared to the previous three quarters which were 39.6, 45.0 and 53.8 per cent respectively.

"Recent changes in the visa application process have made it easier for Indian students to come down under to study," says Jag Khairra, a Melbourne-based migration and education consultant.

However another downplays the surge, according to a report, Monash University migration expert Bob Birrell said many of these students would have originally come here to study cookery and hairdressing, but were caught out when the Federal government cracked down on courses that were seen as providing easy access to permanent residency. They have been swooshing around the system, applying for student and tourist visas, family reunion and as temporary skilled migrants. The student system was opened up to allow so many in, and now they are seeking whatever means are available to stay on via other visas.

While some more feel that the surge is due to the pressure exerted by the Oz educational institutes on the immigration authorities. The institutes had in the past criticized the authorities over the stringent implications, which saw fewer processed applications. (With Inputs from Internet- Aarkay)

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