Labor Aims to Combat Unscrupulous Visa Schemes in Colleges

August 26, 2023, 12:00 AM
The Albanese government is set to take strict action against deceitful colleges engaged in visa manipulation, cautioning that over 200 of these institutions might face sanctions for facilitating fraudulent practices in visa applications. Education Minister Jason Clare, Skills and Training Minister Brendan O’Connor, and Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil jointly declared their intention to consider issuing suspension notifications to colleges with high rates of student visa refusals. The government expresses particular concern for more than 200 colleges with visa refusal rates exceeding 50%, a situation that has prompted their attention.

This trio of ministers highlighted the unprecedented authority within the Education Services for Overseas Act to temporarily suspend high-risk educational providers. They emphasized that this utilization marks the first instance of an Australian administration employing such power, underscoring the government’s resolve in addressing unscrupulous practices. The ministers indicated that they would engage with the education sector immediately to discuss potential regulations that would outline the conditions for invoking suspension measures.

This initiative is part of a comprehensive package of government strategies aimed at stabilizing the thriving international education industry post the Covid pandemic. Up until May, Australia witnessed a 60% surge in the enrollment of international students for new courses compared to the same period the previous year. However, the exponential growth has inadvertently facilitated the presence of inauthentic students, enabled by dubious education agents and substandard colleges.

To further enhance the integrity of the international education sector, the government has discontinued the practice of permitting international students to enroll in multiple courses. The ministers noted a significant increase in “concurrent enrollments,” indicating the abuse of this practice. They acknowledged that this trend allowed students to transition from legitimate courses to questionable ones, ultimately serving as a loophole to work in Australia rather than study.

Additionally, the government has raised the financial threshold required for international students to qualify for a student visa. This threshold, which remained unchanged due to Covid-related constraints since 2019, will see a 17% increase on October 1, reaching $24,505. Further measures to reinforce the credibility of international education are anticipated in the government’s forthcoming migration strategy announcement later this year.

In a distinct move, Minister O’Connor highlighted the requirement for owners, operators, and managers of vocational colleges (many of which admit international students) to adhere to more stringent “fit and proper persons” standards. This decision emerged from a collaborative agreement with state and territory skills ministers.

Phil Honeywood, Chief Executive of the International Education Association of Australia, expressed that most international education providers would welcome this reform package. He stressed the necessity of allocating adequate resources to national regulators to effectively enforce these policies. Claire Field, a former vocational education regulator, lauded the precision and focus of these measures, viewing them as an effective initial response to the challenges faced by the international education sector and Australia’s migration system.

Universities Australia commended these fresh strategies, applauding the government’s commitment to curbing exploitative practices targeting students for personal gain. Catriona Jackson, Chief Executive of Universities Australia, highlighted their endorsement of the government’s actions.

The Independent Tertiary Education Council Australia, representing non-public tertiary education providers, also voiced support for changes that fortify the international education framework. Their CEO, Troy Williams, assured that quality providers with genuine intentions would embrace increased compliance activities, while subpar entities would naturally exit the system.