Improving your chances of gaining Permanent Residency (PR) in Australia

Many international students dream of staying in Australia after they have completed their studies. While most international students are permitted to come to Australia to study, General Skilled Migration (GSM) is a completely different (and more complicated) process. It is run by the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) and is driven by the labour market needs of Australia.

GSM approval is dependent on your score in the Points Test, which grants points according to your skills and experience. The fact that you have studied in Australia does not guarantee approval for GSM, but there are a few other ways that you can increase your chances and boost your score in the Points Test. This article contains information for those applying for the Skilled – Independent (Residence) Visa (Subclass 885).

Minimum requirements for international students applying for GSM:

• You need to have met the Australian Study Requirement. This means you must obtain an Australian qualification in Australia (excluding online or distance study) as a result of at least two years of study (this can be made up by studying multiple courses).
• You need to be aged between 18 and 49.
• You need to have a minimum IELTS score of 6 (or equivalent in another specified test of English language ability).
• You need to nominate and hold a skilled assessment for an occupation on the Skilled Occupation List.  Migration is dependent on Australia’s employment needs, so completing study in an area that leads to a high-demand field of employment listed on DIAC’s Skilled Occupation List (SOL)— such as health, education, trades or built environment — is essential. There is a different Skilled Occupation List (Schedule 1 and 2) for applicants who have been nominated by a state or territory government. Review the list to see if your area of study appears and to check the details of approved skill assessors. More information can be found on the Skilled Occupation Lists page of the DIAC website.

Improving your chances of being approved for the GSM program:

• Stay in Australia after completing your degree: You can gain more time to develop your English language skills and employment experience in Australia after completing your studies by applying for an 18-month Skilled – Graduate (Temporary) Visa (Subclass 485). This will give you an opportunity to boost your score in the Points Test.
   
• Climb the qualifications ladder: It might be worth building on your skills and knowledge by progressing to a more advanced qualification — moving on from a diploma to complete a bachelor degree, for example. Diplomas and trade qualifications attract 10 points on the Points Test, while bachelor degrees attract 15 and doctorates attract 20.
   
• Develop your English language skills: Applicants deemed as having English language abilities that are ‘Proficient’ (IELTS 7 or equivalent) or ‘Superior’ (IELTS 8) attract more points — 10 points and 20 points respectively.
   
• Study in a regional area: Those who have completed their Australian Study Requirement of two years in a regional area are eligible for an additional five points. Those who have lived in a specified regional area for at least two years and have worked full time in that area for a total period of 12 months in a specified regional area of Australia are eligible for a different visa type — the Skilled – Regional (Residence) Visa (Subclass 887).
   
• Consider your age: Your age can greatly affect your score in the points test — those aged between 25 and 32 are awarded 30 points, for example, while those aged between 45 and 49 are eligible for none.
   
• Gain meaningful employment: The more years of employment experience you have in the occupation you nominate on the SOL, the more points you will be awarded. Consider gaining some meaningful employment in addition to your study or applying for the Skilled – Graduate (Temporary) Visa (Subclass 485) to give yourself an opportunity to earn some more employment experience. As little as one year of work experience in Australia can grant you five additional points. Previous employment overseas may also attract points.
   
• Complete a Professional Year: A Professional Year Program is a structured professional development program combining formal learning and workplace experience. Those who complete a Professional Year gain valuable Australian workplace experience and are eligible toreceive five extra points. Professional Year courses run for 12 months and are currently available in the fields of computing science, accounting and engineering. To be eligible for extra points the course must be undertaken in the applicant’s nominated skilled occupation or a closely related area. A list of approved courses and more information can be found on the Professional Year section of the DIAC website.

Studying in Australia-New post-study work visa for international students

The Australian Government has announced a plan to introduce new post-study work visas for international students who complete university degrees in Australia.

The new visas will enable international graduates to gain practical work experience in Australia after they graduate and enhance their overall international study experience.

Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills, Jobs and Workplace Relations, Senator Chris Evans, said that international students are “increasingly looking to augment their studies with graduate work experience and this further post-study work visa option will offer university students a more complete study experience in Australia”.

Counsel of International Students Australia President Arfa Noor said “It is very encouraging to see that some of the key areas of concern have been addressed and this is good news for a lot of students and their families, as well as the education industry.”

“The work experience will add value to Australian qualifications and will certainly be an added incentive for students to choose Australia as a destination for further studies and professional development.”

About the new post-study work visa:

• It is proposed that graduates of bachelor and masters by coursework degrees will be able to apply for a two-year work visa at the completion of their degree, while masters by research and PhD graduates will be able to apply for a four-year work visa.
• As a minimum, applicants need to have completed a bachelor degree at an Australian university six months before applying for the visa.
• Students who complete their degree at a non-university institute (such as a private higher education provider or a TAFE institute) will not beeligible.
• The visa has been introduced in response to the Knight Review, which delivered 41 recommendations to the federal government on how to enhance Australia’s student visa program.
• The program is expected to be introduced in 2013.

Tougher U.K. student visa rules come into force today

Under tougher immigration rules, coming into force from Friday, students from outside the European Union will be required to have a firm job offer of a minimum £20,000 a year from a government-approved employer if they wish to stay on in Britain after completing their studies.

In a separate move, the government announced that it was freezing the annual cap on highly skilled workers for two years.

It will remain at 20,700 till 2014.

This follows criticism from the business sector that constant changes in rules created uncertainty and made it difficult for businesses to plan for future.

“System abused”

Currently, students can stay on and work for up to two years after finishing their course but the government claims that the system is being abused as potential economic migrants use student visas to enter the country. Universities, however, fear that increasingly stringent rules would deter students from coming to Britain and hit the economy, to which foreign students contribute some £9 billion a year — an estimated £6 billion in fee alone.

Conservative Immigration Minister Damian Green said that in the past “too many students have come to the U.K. to work rather than study and this abuse must end.”

More selective system

The Home Office announced that from April 6, “a more selective system” would come into effect so that “only the most talented international graduates can apply to stay in the U.K. for work purposes.”

“That means only those graduating from a university, and having a job offer from a reputable employer accredited by the U.K. Border Agency at a salary of £20,000 or more, will be able to continue living and working in the U.K. in order to benefit the British economy,” it said.

The new rules are part of a government crackdown on non-EU immigration to fulfil the Conservative Party's election pledge to drastically cut down immigration levels. 

Courtesy: The Hindu.

Leash Consultants: Students need not worry about this as many of the UK colleges have announced scholarships of various kinds