In response to a rise in student visa fraud, multiple Australian universities have instituted restrictions on Indian students from six states: Punjab, Haryana, Gujarat, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, and Jammu and Kashmir.
According to the Sydney Morning Herald, Western Sydney University in New South Wales and the Federation University of Victoria are among the institutions that have already implemented the ban.
The primary reason behind this action taken by Australian universities is the discovery that many applicants obtain visas under the pretense of seeking educational opportunities while their true intention is to secure employment in the country.
Consequently, a substantial percentage of these students end up dropping out. The Department of Home Affairs has labeled one in four applications as “fraudulent” or “non-genuine,” as reported.
In the midst of PM’s ‘event’ in Australia with Indian Diaspora was going on ,Australian Universities have banned the recruitment of students from specific Indian states as their federal government has voiced fresh concern over increasing visa fraud. pic.twitter.com/ZZ9ThusXDl
— সত্যান্বেষী (@satyanewshi) May 26, 2023
This surge in fraudulent applications has prompted the Australian Department of Education to investigate the issue, which appears to be a growing trend. To mitigate further fraud, educational institutions have intensified the scrutiny and evaluation process for applications from these specific Indian states.
While concerns have been raised regarding the potential impact on genuine student applications, it is unlikely to significantly affect admissions to esteemed Australian universities, as their admission processes are already highly competitive and rigorous.
Why Are Universities Banning Candidates?
If the task of dealing with non-genuine applicants falls under the responsibility of the immigration department?
Reports indicate that universities are worried about increasing visa rejections, even for applicants admitted to their institutions. They fear that this trend will compel the Home Affairs Department of country to limit their capacity to expedite the processing of open student visa applications.
The significant rise in non-genuine applications for study purposes has prompted the Australian Department of Education to investigate potential misconduct within the international education sector.
How Will This Decision Impact Students?
The measures are expected to impact genuine applicants from the mentioned Indian regions and other parts of India. However, the admission process for prestigious Australian universities is challenging, so these institutions will likely be relatively unaffected.
The restrictions on international students or the increased scrutiny of their applications will also have repercussions for Australian universities that heavily rely on fees from international students, typically higher than domestic fees.
On the other hand, Australia is making various changes to its immigration system, which can have positive and negative implications for individuals aspiring to study abroad or seek employment there.
Australia is exploring options to streamline the visa process for skilled workers by eliminating the points test. Additionally, they are considering the implementation of “automatic” temporary graduate visas for those who complete their studies in the country. These decisions have the potential to benefit individuals who are planning to work and study in Australia.
