Australia: Student visa system relaxed

The recent easing of Australias visa restrictions on overseas students could usher in a third wave of international education in the nations universities having established government support for the sector via an affirming message that resonated abroad, says the outgoing chief executive of Universities Australia. But for many in the sector, the question is whether the benefits stemming from the Knight review of Australias student visa system will feed through fast enough to remedy the financial damage from a sharp decline in international numbers.By recommending a reduction in red tape and an enticing new post-study work option for international students, the review is seen by many to have boosted Australias attractiveness as a study destination and wrong-footed competitor nations — especially the UK, which currently seems to be heading in the opposite direction. More importantly, many believe it has sent a signal that Australia is open for business after a period in which more stringent visa rules and bad publicity presented a negative picture to potential students from abroad. Glenn Withers, who stepped down as chief executive of umbrella group Universities Australia in January, is in no doubt about the positive effects of the review, led by former Sydney Olympics minister Michael Knight. The release of the report, and the governments positive response received strongly affirming coverage in the international media and through agent and informal networks, he says. The review was very important because it showed that the government recognised the significance of the international education sector to Australia, while signifying that (it) is committed to working with the sector to protect the interests of students, universities and other providers. The key question now is whether the announced changes will boost Australias flagging recruitment of overseas students in time to stem the resulting loss of jobs and income at universities and other education institutions such as vocational colleges. The latest figures on education exports in Australia, published in December highlight the need to act fast. The value of fees, goods and services purchased by foreign students dropped to A$15.8 billion (Rs.83,740 crore) in 2010-11 from A$18.5 billion the previous year, according to the International Education Association of Australia. The states of Victoria and New South Wales — which together have almost half the countrys universities — each lost more than A$1 billion (Rs.5,300 crore) in that period. Agents recruiting international students for Australian institutions are not optimistic about the chances of a quick upturn. Changes being made by the government to the visa system are making Australia a more attractive destination for international students, but we dont expect to see a clear turnaround in the offshore market for at least a year, says Warwick Freeland, general manager and chief strategy officer at international student-recruitment agency IDP Education. Recent visa-application statistics from the Australian government show the fragility of the market. In the three-month period ended September 2011, ‘offshore applications by international students to all types of institutions were up 5.2 percent compared with the same period in 2010. Demand…