DIBP launches campaign to target course-changers

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Created on Thursday, 16 January 2014 15:32

Written by Editorial staff

The Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP) is sending a "strong message" to international students about making changes to their course of study once they have arrived in Australia.

Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection, Senator the Hon. Michaelia Cash, said the DIBP would be launching a campaign this week to educate current and prospective international students about the dangers of breaching their visa conditions by doing so.

There is a perception, said Ms Cash, that international students are able to "change or downgrade" their course of study from one that is eligible under streamlined visa processing (SVP) arrangements to one that is not.

She explained that international students who "engage in this type of behaviour" are possibly breaching their visa conditions, which means they could see their visa cancelled by the DIBP.

"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," announced Ms Cash in a January 15 statement.

SVP arrangements were introduced by the DIBP in March 2012 to make the process of applying for migration visas to study in Australia much easier for eligible international students.

It's faster because international students who apply using this process are categorised as a "low immigration risk", which means they are not subject to the same level of assessment as other would-be migrants.

In order to be eligible for SVP, an international student must possess a Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) from a university that is currently participating in SVP arrangements, states the DIBP.

The full list of universities can be found here.

You must also be coming to Australia to study toward a Bachelor, Masters or Doctoral degree, on a non-award university student exchange program or a study abroad program.

If you fail to meet these and any other conditions - even if you have already been granted the visa - you could see your visa cancelled.

That's why the DIBP has arranged its campaign, which Ms Cash said will make "constructive use of its social media platforms and website to raise awareness among the international student community".

"This education campaign will include regular updates on the migration blog, FAQs and will present a range of relevant scenarios so students can evaluate the correct action to take for their circumstances," said Ms Cash.

For more information about student visas and SVP arrangements, get in touch with migration agents in Australia today!