MORE SAVINGS REQUIRED AND NO MORE CONCURRENT COES FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

The Department of Visa Home has announced several significant changes to the international education sector aimed at ensuring integrity and supporting genuine international students. Here are the main changes:

1. Concurrent Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) Requirement:
   • Students will not be issued Concurrent Confirmation of Enrolment until they have completed at least 6 months of their courses.
   • This change aims to prevent the exploitation of a loophole that allowed education providers to transition new international students, who had been in Australia for less than six months, from study to work arrangements.
   • Increased concurrent enrolments in 2023 raised integrity concerns, leading to the implementation of this measure.
2. Increased Financial Requirement for Student Visa Applicants:
   • International students will need to demonstrate a higher amount of savings when applying for a student visa.
   • The exact increase in the financial requirement has not been specified but is intended to ensure that students have sufficient financial means to support themselves during their studies in Australia.
3. Change from Genuine Temporary Entrant to Genuine Student Test:
   • The Genuine Temporary Entrant requirement for student visa applicants will be replaced with a Genuine Student Test.
   • Further details regarding this change will be provided in the 2024 Migration Strategy.
4. Scrutiny of “Dodgy Providers” and High-Risk Groups:
   • The Department of Visa Home is investigating over 200 educational institutions considered “dodgy providers,” which have visa refusal rates higher than 50%.
   • High-risk groups will be scrutinized more closely, with additional documentation required to prevent fraud.
5. Use of Suspension Certificates under Section 97 of the ESOS Act:
   • Under Section 97 of the Education Services for Overseas Students (ESOS) Act, suspension certificates may be issued to high-risk education providers, preventing them from recruiting international students.
   • This marks the first use of such power in Australia and aims to ensure the integrity of the international education sector.

These changes take immediate effect and are designed to uphold the integrity of the international education sector in Australia while supporting genuine international students.

1. Current Requirement: Genuine Temporary Entrant (GTE)
   • Under the GTE requirement, students must demonstrate that their primary intention in coming to Australia is to study, and they are not using their student visas as a means to work in the country.
   • Additionally, students must prove that their stay in Australia is temporary and that they intend to leave the country upon completion of their studies.
2. Proposed Requirement: Genuine Student Test
   • The new Genuine Student Test will focus solely on whether the student intends to study in Australia.
   • Students will no longer be required to prove that their stay in Australia is temporary. This change is aligned with the General Skilled Migration program’s goal of attracting skilled individuals educated in Australia to contribute to the workforce and potentially obtain permanent residency.
3. Implementation Status:
   • These changes have not been officially announced by the Department yet. Further details will be provided once they are available.

In addition to the proposed changes to the Genuine Student Test, the government has announced other measures to enhance integrity in the international education sector:

• Increase in Savings Requirement: Effective October 1, 2023, international students will be required to demonstrate evidence of $24,505 in savings, representing a 17% increase from current levels. This adjustment reflects the rise in living expenses since 2019.
• Restriction on Changing Courses: Immediate changes have been made to prevent international students who have been in Australia for less than six months from changing their enrollment status to arrangements that facilitate working, such as concurrent enrollment.
• Fit and Proper Persons Standards: The Department has issued an instrument strengthening the fit and proper persons standards for individuals involved in managing or operating training organizations. This aims to increase public confidence in the suitability of these individuals.
• Aged Care Work Concessions: Student visa holders working in the aged care sector, eligible for concessions to working hour caps until December 2023, can change employers during this period, provided they meet all relevant criteria.

These measures underscore the government’s commitment to ensuring integrity in the international education sector while maintaining Australia’s attractiveness as a destination for skilled individuals.