Indian students to get right to work in Australia

[adl]

Indian students to get right to work in Australia

There is good news for thousands of Indians studying in Australia as changes to the visa system, coming into effect Saturday, will give them automatic right to work in the country.

The Australian government has made changes to its visa system so that Indian citizens studying in Australia will automatically become eligible to work part time during their courses.

Australian Minister for Immigration and Citizenship Senator Chris Evans said: "Under new processing arrangements, which come into effect April 26, all student visas will be granted with work rights attached, removing the need for people to make a separate application."

Until now, Indian students had to apply separately for permission to work part time while pursuing their studies in Australia.

"The changes mean that Indian students can now apply for part time jobs and work for up to 20 hours per week as soon as their courses start. It will reduce red tape for students wanting to work in Australia," Evans added.

Under the new arrangement, Indian citizens would also have to shell out less for the overall student visa fee.

The minister said: "Applicants from India will now be charged Australian $450 (Rs.17,000) for the visa and work permission, a saving of $40 (Rs.1,500) on the previous arrangements."

The process for applying for a student visa has also been streamlined.

"Successful applicants will now not need to have an Australian visa label in their passports as evidence of their visa grant. Instead, their visa information will be stored electronically for access through the Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO) service," Evans said.

The advantage of the online service is that it allows employers, government agencies, education providers and the visa holders themselves to check visa conditions such as expiry date, work and study restrictions.

A total of 34,146 student visas were granted to Indian citizens in the year ending June 2007. Overall 228,592 students from 191 countries got visas during the same period.

Today, India is the second largest source of overseas students and a significant contributor to Australia's international education market, which is worth Australian $12 billion ($11 billion) to the national economy.

[bosco]

Australia offers 20 hrs work for students per week, but be very careful about work conditions and also be aware that those work are sometimes not always genuine and don`t always offer fair conditions.
I can also affect yr studies here if beyond 10-15 hrs!!
So it is good but think also abt the drawbacks :)
I honestly it is worth coming here if u can afford it as not having enough cash may put u thru lot of pressure and may forc u to accept jobs u wouldn`t acceot otherwise..think about that:)

[reunionnais]

I also think australia is very expensive as now, their dollar rate is very close to US rates; besides, after your studies, you will be asked to leave unless they need you, which is for you to fit into the SOL requirements.
I unfortuately have to spend 1 more year here to end up my studies but already advised my siblings not to come here as australia no longer seems attractive, on any matters; I don`t know but apart from these, I also find people here (in big cities at least) to be a bit distant from each other (not only from foreigners), superficial, arrogant...people in suburbs are no way better as at night, trains are filled with drunks and low minded people, and even dangerously behaving people...honestly, I don`t want my family to endure such an experience here in australia ..for what ? for a thx for spending and now go back!! with me...no waaayyy!! solutions do exist!!

[malik]

I also think australia is very expensive as now, their dollar rate is very close to US rates; besides, after your studies, you will be asked to leave unless they need you, which is for you to fit into the SOL requirements.


well... the standard of living here forces some students to accept even less fair and even less well-paid jobs. This is really sad as some employers take advantage of foreign students to get their job done and to produce at cheaper cost and make better profits for themselves. Most of them cannot do much as they are under visa and some people know how to take advantage of such weaknesses.
I really recommend you guys to think very seriously about whether you can or cannot meet the increasing living standards here as not meeting it would just make you more vulnerable and more exposed to some form of exploitation.
Please guys, coming here may be a dream, your dream but pls, don`t make this dream turn into a nightmare, don`t turn yourselves into a victim of your own choice.

[bosco]

by the way...just google "indian students used as cash cows"...there is an interesting article (pdf) on that topic.

[bengaltiger]

Bosco, I think you made a very good point, man... have nothing to add anymore, now..lol.

[camille]

I think the main problem here in Australia, and particularly in Sydney, is the ever increasing costs, which I consider to be ridiculous.

I am somehow glad I have one study semester left in this country, and then, hasta la Vista:)
I would define my stay here as generally acceptable (even though I kept complaining about the mood of the sydney-siders and the cost of everything, from food, via transportation ticket costs to rent, to tuition fees) but it was mainly thanks to the fact that my parents could afford to pay my tuitions and also that they could mostly help me cover my expenses. Unfortuntately, it is not the acse for every students who come here as many of them have to work and usually, accept jobs that they would not have thought about doing before leaving their homeland; yes, it is quite depressing.
The thing is: if you do the job because you would like to work, then it is fine; but things start to smell when people HAVE to work because they cannot pay their rent anymore or do not even have 5 dollars left in their pocket when they are hungry.
Last year, me and another friend of mine (he was really a generous person and don`t get me wrong, but it is rare to cross the path of such individual) happened to provide financial help for this guy in the same group as mine, as he went through financial hardhip and so anxious about failing and having to re-pay the tuition fees for that hard subject. He had to work and had to accept jobs he would have ever done had he stayed home; So he was in a very very desperate situation here with his family in his homeland (he also just lost his father a few weeks after his arrival here) being unable to provide an immediate help (They actually had to borrow some loans).
My point is simple. Even though he has successfully graduated, he had no choice but to go through very hard journeys down here. He will probably never forget how hard it was to get even the most absic jobs here in Sydney, how insensitive some people can be to wha has happened to him at that moment and how close he might have been to a disaster that may have changed his life and the one of his family for ever.

Having said that, I keep myself wondering, even today: "what if I hadn`t come here and what if this friend of mine hadn`t come either or what if he didn`t meet us?"; would he have made it through one day? By thinking further and by assessing the whole situation with much more objectivity a few years later, I am quite convinced that we may have changed his life forever in the good way.

It is a long story but I hope I didn`t annoy you by tellling it out but I just think it could bring more light on your road to the decision that best suits you and your family,

All the best for your studies down here or back home.
cheers,
Camille.

[Iloveafrica]

Australia offers 20 hrs work for students per week, but be very careful about work conditions and also be aware that those work are sometimes not always genuine and don`t always offer fair conditions.
I can also affect yr studies here if beyond 10-15 hrs!!
So it is good but think also abt the drawbacks :)
I honestly it is worth coming here if u can afford it as not having enough cash may put u thru lot of pressure and may forc u to accept jobs u wouldn`t acceot otherwise..think about that:)

Definitely, 10 hours is the maximum you could generally manage; beyond that, it can affect your studies, your sleep, your mood and even your health.. as it is not obious to take 4 subjects per semester, go to work, cook your food etc...You might just ed up like many of those students - who just do not have social life anymore.

[India_Aussie]

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