Edu-leaders

Easing its visa norms, Australia has decided to issue ‘student visa’ only to those who manage to get confirmed admission in any academic institutions. After implementation of new laws, students seeking visa would have to produce a proof of enrollment in any course.

Elaborating the reason behind the decision, Australian High Commissioner to India- Peter Varghese said, "This will improve processing time as students will no longer need to wait for a Pre-Visa Assessment (PVA) letter to be issued by the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) for conformation of enrollment."

The new guideline has come into effect since Nov 5. Those applying for student visa will need to include a ‘confirmation of enrollment’ (COE), issued by their intended education provider, as part of their applications.

A new 'genuine temporary entrant' (GTE) criterion has also been made mandatory from Nov 5. Varghese said, "This criterion will assist Australia to ensure that students are intending a temporary stay only for the purposes of their education. GTE will be assessed by an interview in most cases and will consider the student's background and the value of the course to their future."

(Source- iGovernment)