An Indian migrant has revealed that Australia’s fraud-ridden student visa system is being seen as a way to secure permanent residency, as Albania’s government prepares to limit growing numbers of international students.
Deep Sanghavi moved to Brisbane in 2019 to begin a Masters in Accounting, but then found a job as a wedding planner.
‘An Indian child might pay between $60,000 and $90,000 in fees alone to come to Australia. If you are paying that money, you should think about getting residency, otherwise it is a waste.
‘International students pay about four or five times more than Australian children pay… and we have to pay the money up front.’
He said he is in the process of applying for permanent residency and plans to stay in Australia long-term.
“I studied accounting, but I don’t work in that field, so I’m going to do something related to it that will help me with my residency,” she said.
While international students, and migrants in general, are blamed for driving up house prices and rents to stratospheric levels, Sanghavi argues that their arrival is actually good for Australia.
“The main contributors to the Australian economy are international students,” he explained.
The main advice Mr. Sanghavi would give to new Indian immigrants thinking of moving would be to focus on their studies and do what it takes to obtain permanent residency.
Deep Sanghavi moved to Brisbane in 2019 to begin a Masters in Accounting, but then found a job as a wedding planner.
As of June 2022, there were 753,520 Indian-born people living in Australia, more than double the number recorded in 2012, with many of them entering through the student visa system. Pictured: Indians in Sydney
Despite the high cost of accommodation, Indian migrants continue to be attracted by Australia’s high salaries.
“The salary is definitely better, I think that’s why everyone is here,” Sanghavi said.
“Because if you do the same kind of work at home you don’t get paid good money.”
In August, the federal government announced it would set a limit of 270,000 international students in an attempt to stem widespread corruption in the international education system.
It also has expanded powers to suspend those course providers who provide very little teaching and simply accept fees and to grant visas to those students who intend to stay long-term and get work as low-skilled workers.
The providers, known as “ghost universities” and “visa mills,” can be given warnings and six months to improve their practices.
Failure to do so will result in providers being suspended from recruiting international students.
International student enrolments have risen from just over 520,000 to more than 810,000 in the past two years, leading to unreliable education providers trying to “make a quick buck” by gaming the system, Jason Clare said.
“That growth… has attracted people who are really here to work, not to study,” Clare told the Australian Financial Review’s higher education summit on Tuesday.
“This has put the reputation of this industry under pressure, that’s a fact,” Clare said.
Nearly 150 colleges have already been closed for failing to show they were offering any training to students, while warnings were issued. They have been handed over to another 140 schools known as “ghost schools”.
In one case, a university had not provided any training or assessment for students since 2020.
Skills Minister Andrew Giles said colleges that had not been operating with the purpose of providing quality education had been axed and closed.
“The Albanian government is putting an end to the shortcomings and loopholes that have plagued the VET sector for too long,” he said.
“Under our government, there is no place for anyone who seeks to undermine the sector and exploit students.”