Dr Chandrika Subramaniyan (#OMARA0534196)
Solicitor
MA MPhil PhD LLB LLM MCSD FAICD
The proposed new process, called, the simplified student visa framework (SSVF), will launch in July 2016 replacing the streamlined visa processing (SVP), which has been used since 2012.
The newly introduced changes will make a reduction in the number of student visa subclasses from eight to two only.
It will also introduce of a simplified single immigration risk framework for all international students. Under the new system, students applying to all education providers will be assessed for visa risk under a single framework. It will be based on the country they come from and the immigration compliance record of other students who have studied at that particular education provider. A student’s financial and English language requirements will be based on the immigration profile of their country and of their chosen education provider.
Effectively from 1 July 2016, there will be only one student visa available to study in Australia – the Student visa (subclass 500), regardless of your field of study.
Under the SSVF:
- all international students will now apply for a single Student visa (subclass 500), regardless of their chosen course of study
- all international students will be required to apply for their student visa online
- a new immigration risk framework will be used to guide the evidence of English language and financial capacity that a student needs to provide with their visa application.
Major requirements for the new Student visa (subclass 500)
- Genuine Temporary Entrant (GTE) requirement
- The GTE requirement applies to all student visa applicants irrespective of the individual circumstances of the student to identify that their intention is for a temporary stay in Australia.
- Normally, genuineness assessment is decided by taking into consideration a number of personal factors relating to the student, such as their immigration history, circumstances that might encourage the student to return to their home country and conditions that might encourage them to remain in Australia.
- Enrolment in a registered course of study
- International students must be enrolled in a registered course of study and provide a Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) when they lodge their student visa application.
- Exceptions to this requirement apply to Foreign Affairs and Defence sponsored students (Letter of Support from Foreign Affairs and Defence); secondary exchange students (an Acceptance Advice of Secondary Exchange Students form); and postgraduate research students required to remain in Australia for marking of their thesis.
Financial capacity and English language proficiency
- All international students are required to have sufficient funds to cover their course fees and living costs in Australia.
The living costs requirements
The living cost requirement for student visa applicants has been increased from AUD$18,000 per year to AUD$18,610 per year. Prepaid home stay fees may now be included in the financial requirements assessment for a student visa.
- Students are to provide evidence of their financial capacity and English language proficiency. This will be guided by the immigration risk outcomes associated with the student’s country of citizenship and intended education provider.
- When applying online documentary evidence of financial and English language capacity to be attached these documents to their visa application prior to lodgement. Failure to do so might result in visa refusal.
- Health and character
- International students are required to prove good character and will generally need to undertake a health examination as part of their student visa application.
- Students must also obtain Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) before a student visa can be granted.
- Time taken for student visa:
Students are strongly advised to submit all required documents with their visa applications.
Failure to submit all required documents might lead to processing delays or visa refusal. If everything is done as per the instructions the approval time is one month.
- Fee:
The new student visa application charge of AUD $565 has been reduced to $535.
- Work:
Students can commence their work with the commencement of their course of study, and employment restrictions only apply when their course is in session whereas students may work unlimited hours during their semester breaks. Work limits do not apply to students completing a masters or doctoral degree.
- Post-study work visa:
The post-study work visa in 2013, allows international students completing an Australian bachelor, masters or doctoral degree to remain in Australia to gain work experience after the graduation. Graduates of bachelor and masters by coursework degrees can apply for a two-year work visa at the completion of their degree, which increases to three years for masters by research graduates and four years for PhD graduates.
The SSVF only applies to student visa applications lodged from 1 July 2016 and will not affect the visas of existing student visa holders. However, family members of existing student visa holders (subclasses 570-576) will need to apply for a subclass 500 visa if they do not currently hold a student visa and want to join their family member in Australia.SSVF will not have any impact on the eligibility criteria for the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485.)
Disclaimer: This article below intends to provide general information only. This should not be considered as legal advice.Australia has recently adopted a new simplified student visa processing as a single point visa system. This system expected to make life a lot more little easier for future students and higher education providers.
