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Overseas students increasingly buying English outcomes to lodge onshore GSM visa applications
Migration Alliance is in receipt of the following information:
I am a current Registered Migration Agent based in Australia and do not wish to be identified.
I wish to bring to your attention the recent attempts by many overseas students to buy English test scores. The trend seems to be gaining prominence.
In the last few months, I can confirm having heard of such several incidents, directly or indirectly, where visa applicants have paid as much as $30,000 to overseas test centres to secure specific English test outcomes.
The Department is requested to consider the following factors to ascertain the genuineness of a visa applicant’s English scores:
- Past education (Medium of instruction) - English abilities are acquired and only develop after training over several years. While speaking skills can be acquired while one lives, studies or works is an English speaking country for a substantial duration, writing proficiency cannot be achieved so easily and without receiving appropriate levels of training starting from early years of one’s education.
- University, college grades achieved in Australia. Students adept at English are likely to score well and above average.
- Comparison of claimed scores with those that an applicant achieved at the time of their initial student visa application.
- Number of attempts taken to achieve claimed scores. Progessive increases after sustained attempts may be acceptable.
- Location of a test centre – Applicant travelling to an overseas location to take the test may indicate collusion.
- Other analysis that the Department may think pertinent.
Such applicants are bypassing the system and undermining the integrity of Australian immigration law. They also take up places ahead of more skilled and genuine ones.
Where English scores do not appear genuine based on identified factors, the Department should request applicants to prove their English abilities by taking another test in Australia. A level of predetermined or unacceptable variance will be a strong indication that the applicant never possessed the claimed English competencies.
The Department is also requested to consider amending the English testing policy for visa applicants that will act as a strong deterrent.
Thank you.
Sincerely
Sincerely
