AUSTRALIA GOVERNMENT CHANGES VISA POLICY FOR STUDENTS.

Studying in Australia promotes creative and independent thinking. The Australian education system has a strong international reputation and is known for its effective structure and innovative policy developments..

The Department of Immigration and Citizenship of Australia has introduced new changes to support and service International students.

• Department of Immigration has increased the Student Visa Application Charge to AUD 450 as this fee includes the fee for applying for a work permit. Prior to April 2008, students had to pay AUD 430 as student visa application and on course commencement, apply for work rights by paying a charge of AUD 60.
  
  
• Students are allowed to work 20 hours a week while the course is in session and full-time during scheduled course breaks, in which they are not allowed to work before the commencement of course of the primary applicant. people granted student visas will automatically receive permission to work with their visa grant.
  
  
• All students who have received visa approvals through e-Visa will no more require visa evidencing / visa stamping on their passport. visa information is held electronically and can be accessed using the Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO) service. The eVisa forms available online will be changed to contain additional questions on Health and Character.



• Simple mistakes in visa conditions may not be as strict as before. This helps to make the Australian student visa program a very attractive possibility for students to study overseas.



• Assessment Levels, as an objective measure of immigration risk for each of these student groups, are a key tool in determining visa requirements and enable consistency in decisions across this diverse range of clients.



• Assessment Levels (ALs) streamline allows the department to deliver fast and efficient service to maintaining the integrity of Australia’s immigration program. Level 1 represents the lowest immigration risk and Assessment Level 5 the highest to support their claims for the grant of a student visa.



• Foreign students taking courses longer than 12 months will be required to show that they possess sufficient funds to pay for their first year of student fees, plus an additional sum of £9,600 to support their first year of living expenses
  
  
• Alternatively, non-European Union students can apply under Tier 1 General, the replacement to HSMP. The Tier 1 scheme has the benefit of a longer visa validity of three years, which also counts towards settlement, unlike Tier 1 (Post-Study Work).