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Australia, November 16, 2009 – To resolve the increasing stress among Indian politicians parents alarmed by violent attacks against their offspring studying in Australia and the conclusion of more than a dozen training colleges in Melbourne and Sydney so far this year, threading almost 5,000 students. The Prime Minister Kevin Rudd held to India to try and resolve this.

With almost $2 billion (US$1.86 billion) they contribute each year to the national economy. Mr Rudd and his minister contribute in fear for the Indian students in Australian institutions to dry up. The Prime Minister’s visit follows a sequence of trips to the sub-continent in recent months by senior members of the government after an India-wide outcry over the students’ treatment.

The meeting between Mr. Rudd and the Indian Prime Minister Manmoban Singh and other top officials, Rudd presented assurances concerning the action his government and state authorities had taken to make sure the security of Indian students in Australia. He also announced the government would exempt foreign students affected by the sudden closure of private vocational education colleges from paying a student-visa application charge of A$540 (US$500).

Immigrants’ students affected by the college closures must obtain new visas to complete their studies at another college. Selling education to foreign students is Australia’s third biggest export earner and India sends the second largest number of its students to Australia after China.

Last week’s collapse of nine colleges in Melbourne and Sydney had education authorities struggling to find alternative places for the students, many of whom were almost at the end of their courses. Teachers and other employees of the colleges appear to have also lost out as there is no money to cover their entitlements.

The Government increase the money for international students however they need to obtain a visa to study in Australia. The increase – from $12,000 to $18,000 – has been welcomed by critics of Australia’s lax control over students obtaining permanent residency after completing courses, many using fake documents to boost their chances. The $12,000 minimum has not been better for eight years and is supposed to have given many foreign students a false impression of the cost of living in Australia. In the big capital cities, this is almost certainly nearer now to $20,000 a year.

Source:
universityworldnews