A Call for Flexibility on Australian Visa Requirements for Students

A Call for Flexibility on Australian Visa Requirements for Students

Tweet

September 15, 2011 – The Canberra International Student Roundtable was held last month — where overseas students submitted nine proposals for the improvement of the student visa Australia flexibility and consistency.

Almost a fortnight after the Canberra roundtable, a communiqué released was released, calling on the federal government for the relaxation of the costs of application for australian visa for students as well as Australian visa requirements for students who wants to extend their stay.
Likewise, the communiqué also includes a call from the 30 roundtable participants for reforms to be made on the English language testing arrangements, though visa reforms are already underway through the Knight and Baird reviews — an Australian Government commissioned strategic review about the student visa program, headed by the former NSW Labor MP Hon Michael Knight AO.
Moreover, the Canberra International Student Roundtable also wanted that the IELTS test costs be reduced and the overall test results be deemed acceptable in instances where benchmarks have not yet been set for all four skill areas of reading, writing, talking and listening.
The communiqué also offers 18 recommendations that address education experience, social inclusion, cost of living pressures, safety and welfare of overseas students.
The International Student Roundtable was held at Parliament House in Canberra for 2 days. It was launched by Minister for Education Julia Gillard and was attended by thirty one international students from across Australia. Roundtable Students were selected from more than 1,300 applications from all states and territories, broadly representing the diversity of international students studying in Australia. The discussion was all about student concerns and experiences in Australia like getting australian visa form for students.
The roundtable is one of several DEEWR initiatives to improve the quality and sustainability of Australian international education and will complement proposed amendments to strengthen the Education Services for Overseas Students (ESOS) Act.