STUDY IN AUSTRALIA

With a student visa you are able to reside in Australia until you complete your studies. You are also able to work up to 20 hours per week while studying and full time in the vacation periods. The limit of 20 hours per week is very strictly enforced by the Department of Immigration, and if this limit is exceeded your visa will be cancelled.

While you may be thinking of studying in Australia you should also consider whether you are eligible for a permanent visa.

WARNING

IT IS IMPORTANT TO OBTAIN PROFESSIONAL ADVICE ABOUT ALL YOUR VISA OPTIONS BEFORE REQUESTING A VISA TO STUDY IN AUSTRALIA.

Many students do not obtain advice about the requirements of applying for a permanent visa before deciding to study in Australia, and it is only after they have been in Australia for a period of time and decide they want to stay in Australia that they start exploring the full range of visa options. At this point they realise they have done the wrong course and cannot meet the legal requirements of the permanent visa, or were eligible for a permanent before studying in Australia and have lost their eligibility through studying in Australia.

Comparison of the benefits of student and permanent visas

With a student visa you can remain in Australia only as long as you are studying at an Australian educational institution. When you finish your studies you must leave Australia.

More significantly you must have sufficient funds to pay the full cost of your course fees up-front and to support yourself while in Australia including paying for private health insurance and costs associated with your studies and life in Australia. You will be limited to working 20 hours a week, and if you work more than this and are caught you will be expelled from Australia regardless of the stage you are at in your studies.

With a permanent visa you can engage in further study on the same cost basis as an Australian citizen, and will be significantly better off than overseas students doing the same course as you. You will also have the right to work full time in any occupation and balance your income and study time as you see fit, access the free public health and social security systems and obtain all the other benefits of permanent residence including social benefits such as the $5000 baby bonus and new home buyer’s grant of AUD$7000.

Applying for a permanent visa at the end of your studies

Alternatively, if you are not eligible for a permanent visa now, you may become eligible if you complete a qualification after studying in Australia for 2 years.

The Australian Government is increasingly valuing the skills and commitments of overseas students who gain professional or trade qualifications in Australia. Proposed changes to the Migration Regulations 1994 on 1 September 2007 will make it significantly easier for overseas students to remain working in Australia after completing their formal studies, and then to apply for permanent residence.

If you wish to explore the possibility of obtaining a permanent visa after you complete your studies in Australia, the decisions you make NOW will have an important impact on your future visa options.

The factors that directly affect the possibilities to satisfy the visa criteria at the end of your studies are:

• The duration of the course
• Whether your studies are related to an occupation on the list of occupations in demand in Australia
• The points allocated to this occupation.
• The level of the course you choose (ELICOS, trade certificate, bachelor degree, postgraduate diploma, masters degree or doctorate)
• The location of the institution you chose to study at
• The results you obtain in your studies

THE ROLE OF VISAUSTRALIA

VisAustralia is a migration agency that specialises in assisting people make successful applications for permanent residence in Australia.

Australian educational institutions and their local representatives cannot provide accurate or uncompromised advice about the requirements of applying for a permanent visa after you finish your studies. Yet it is very important that you are given complete information and are aware of the technical issues relating to your right to apply for permanent residence in Australia at the conclusion of your studies.

Request a Personal Assessment

To request a personal assessment of your circumstances and advice on your permanent visa options please click here.