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The Department of Visa Home has announced significant changes to the international education sector aimed at ensuring integrity and supporting genuine international students. Here are the main changes:
- 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.
- Increased Financial Capacity for Student Visa Applicants:
- International students will need to demonstrate a higher amount of savings when applying for a student visa.
- As of 10 May 2024, student visa applicants are required to demonstrate a minimum of AUD $29,710 in savings to cover annual living costs. This represents a 21% increase from the previous amount of AUD $24,505, reflecting the rising cost of living.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 are designed to uphold the integrity of the international education sector in Australia while supporting genuine international students.
- Introduction of the Genuine Student Requirement
- From 23 March 2024, the Genuine Temporary Entrant (GTE) criterion has been replaced with the Genuine Student (GS) requirement.
- This new criterion focuses solely on assessing whether the applicant genuinely intends to study in Australia.
In addition to the Genuine Student Test, the government has announced other measures to enhance integrity in the international education sector:
- Fit and Proper Persons Standards: The Department has strengthened standards for individuals managing or operating training organizations to increase public confidence in their suitability.
These reforms are designed to uphold the integrity of Australia’s international education sector while supporting genuine international students.