As new reforms in the Australian visa requirements have been widely advertized all over India, an increase in the number of Indian students applying for student visa Australia has been observed in the first six months of 2011.
As Indian students welcome the new changes on the Australia migration visa policies with the new points test, as well as the recognizing of degrees from some Indian reputed colleges and institutions by the Australian government, there has been an increase in the number of Indian students application for Australian visa, particularly student visas for Australia after a distressing slump in the previous couple of years. Based on the new figures released by the Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC), the Australian high commission in Delhi has observed that the statistics revealed that the number of applications for student visas from Indian students in the first six months of 2011 has a jump of 21 percent, with the student visa applications reaching more than 3700 applications. The said increase could also be attributed to the Australian government’s widespread advertising campaign in Indian media which was aimed to attract professionals to settle in Australia as well as the reduction of the student visa assessment levels for one or more Student visa subclasses for 38 countries which include India.
This will lower the minimum evidentiary requirements needed for the grant of a Student visa for the selected countries and education sectors. Previously, a drastic drop in the student visa application from Indian students was attributed to the widespread media coverage of a number of racist attacks on Indian students. Now, with the ongoing advertizing media campaign regarding the reforms in the Australian immigration policies which is aimed to attract Indian talents has significantly sprung back the number of student visa applications. Similarly, Australia’s new immigration rules is said to be advantageous to Indians in getting fast-track permanent residence; thus, causing an increasing interest of Indian students in an Australian education as the new points test system awards bonus points to Indian applicants who have studied in Australia and who satisfy the Australia study requirement while studying in regional Australia and completed an approved Professional Year in their nominated occupation or a closely related skilled occupation.
With the reforms in the Australian migration policies, particularly the point test system, Indian students who are applying for permanent residence would now be assessed on a broader perspective in contrast to the previous visa eligibility requirements which was just the qualification gained during their study in Australia. India has continued to be the third-largest provider of permanent skilled migrants to Australia, behind China and Britain, with over 15,000 permanent skilled migrants last fiscal year.