Editor's Blog

Critical media reports and some 78,926 signatures call for DIBP to review the matter but DIBP says that it's up to the visa holders to ensure they have the proper documentation to enter and remain in Australia.

Vietnamese national Minh Duong who was savagely beaten by neo-Nazi skinheads in Moonee Ponds 18 months ago has been ordered to reboard a flight to Vietnam after being refused entry into Australia by Immigration officials at Tullamarine Airport.

Hapless Mr Duong, now in Vietnam and longing to return to complete his studies after his recovery, says it’s all a mistake.

ABC’s 7.30 report on the matter revealed that Mr Duong believes he still had two months to run on his visa, but the Immigration Department says it ran out last year.

DIBP is taking aim at students who change their study courses as concerns grow about them being genuine temporary entrants.

In a recent statement, Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection, Senator the Hon Michaelia Cash expressed concerns that a perception exists within the international student community that it is acceptable student behaviour to change or downgrade courses from a streamlined visa processing [SVP] eligible to a non-SVP eligible provider soon after their arrival in Australia.

'Although only a small percentage of students have breached their visa conditions, the government wants to send a strong message to both students and education providers,' the Minister stated.

Minister Cash said the department was making constructive use of its social media platforms and website to raise awareness among the international student community about the possible impact of their decision to change courses after arriving in Australia.

The trend in Student numbers from China and India suggests that it could return to pre-2010 levels.

It looks the dust has finally settled over the uncertainties in immigration policy and negative press in overseas newspapers of visa prospects and life in Australia for international students. No doubt the drop in the Australian dollar and its predicted further slide has helped once again raise interest in an Australian education.

DIBP has announced that Minister Scott Morrison will personally cancel the visas of undesirable residents from now on, denying them the right of appeal to the AAT.

The announcement follows the AAT’s recent decisions which set aside the Minister’s delegates decisions to cancel the visas of Sean Gabriel and Tuan Anh Hoang for criminal conduct. This blog recently reviewed Gabriel’s case.

In the matter of Hoang who had convictions which spanned 17 years largely for drug related offences, the AAT deputy president Brian Tamberlin stated:

Australia’s productivity is steadily slipping down and will continue to do so if skilled migration numbers are not increased quickly.

The current migration intake of 190,000 a year is not enough to sustain productivity, says the Australian Industry Group (AIG). It says that Australia needs a steady increase in migration intake every year with an emphasis on skilled migration in order to meet current and future skills shortages.

The AIG has proposed that the Federal government needs to act immediately to substantially increase the immigration intake in the upcoming budget by at least 15% to 220,000 to meet the current skills shortage.

The AIG’s chief executive Innes Willox says now is the right time to accelerate skilled migration given Australia's ageing workforce and skills shortages in industries including mining, construction, engineering and health.