>New visa arrangement will help UK attract brightest students

>The new arrangement for visas to UK will help that country continue to attract the brightest and best students, while ensuring that only bonafide and suitably qualified students enter it, a top official of the British High Commission said today in Bangalore.

“The UK and every UK education provider is reputable. The UK is committed to minimising abuse of the student route by those whose primary motivation is not to study, but to work”, British Deputy High Commissioner Richard Hyde told reporters. He said the changes announced would protect the interests of high quality Indian students but are ‘bad news’ for students, institutions and unscrupulous agents who have tried to abuse the student visa route. UK’s largest visa operation worldwide is in India, where about half a million applications were processed in 2010, he said.

Hyde said the Business Express Programme for accredited company members and Fast Track service for previous travellers are examples of how UKBA continues to work with key partners to make the visa service quicker, more efficient and effective. Applicants are advised not to submit forged documentation or false information with visa applications. Those who do risk a 10-year ban on all visa applications to UK. Applicants do not need an agent to make a UK visa application as all information is available on websites free of charge, he said.

Source: The Economic Times (Online Edition), April 12, 2011

>Australia lowers international student visa assessment levels

>Australian government has lowered the visa assessment levels for International students from 38 countries, including India, under which they would now be required to provide less documentary evidence to support their claims for the grant of visa. International student visa assessment levels were lowered for 38 countries including India across one or more subclasses from April 2nd this year, according to official statement released recently.

In 2009-10, there were 270,499 student visas granted across the seven subclasses, with 382,710 student visa holders in the country as of 30 June 2010, of whom 80,450 were from India, 80, 010 were from China and 21,720 were from South Korea. The assessment levels are periodically reviewed and adjusted to reflect changing immigration risk outcomes. Following the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) review in 2010, the government has decided to implement changes to reduce some student visa assessment levels.

A student visa entitles international students to come to Australia on a temporary basis for a specified period to study at an Australian educational institution. “Prospective students and their families, agents and education providers should be aware that these changes will lower the minimum evidentiary requirements needed for the grant of a student visa for the selected countries and education sectors,” a DIAC spokesman said in the statement.

“However, the reductions to assessment levels do not change the likelihood of a former student in Australia obtaining permanent residence. While many international students apply for permanent residence when they complete their studies, this is an entirely separate process and there is no guarantee that, on the basis of having held a student visa, a person will meet the requirements to be granted permanent residence,” he said.

The skilled migration programme is designed to meet the needs of the Australian labour market and strengthen the economy. Requirements for permanent skilled migration will change from time to time and there is no particular course that guarantees a permanent visa.

“Students should not make educational choices solely on the basis of expecting to achieve a particular migration outcome, because the skilled migration programme will continue to change and adapt to Australia’s economic needs,” the spokesman said.

Applicants will be required to provide less documentary evidence to support their claims for the grant of a student visa. These may include evidence of English language proficiency, financial capacity and academic qualifications.

Source: The Economic Times (Online Edition), April 6, 2011