Journalism of Courage
This is an archive article published on March 21, 2024
Australia set to tighten study visa rules from Mar 23
The amount of savings international students will need to be eligible for a student visa has also been increased. Applicants now need to show evidence of $24,505 in savings.
From 23 March 2024, the Genuine Student (GS) requirement replaces the Genuine Temporary Entrant (GTE) requirement for Student visas. (Representative image/ file)
After Canada and the UK, Australia is set to tighten its immigration rules for study visas. From March 23, the Genuine Student (GS) requirement replaces the Genuine Temporary Entrant (GTE) requirement for student visas. This change was announced on December 11, 2023, but will only apply to visa applications filed after March 23, 2024.
GTE statement is a crucial part of the visa application process to demonstrate the intention to temporarily stay in Australia for studies and then return to the home country.
As per the updated rules, the test score required for a Temporary Graduate visa will increase from an IELTS score of 6.0 to 6.5. For a student visa, it will increase from IELTS (or equivalent) 5.5 to 6.0.
“The test validity window for a TGV decreases from 3 years to 1 year. TGV applicants now need to provide evidence that they have completed an English Language test within 1 year immediately before the date of the visa application,” the official notification stated for Temporary Graduate visa (TGV).
Furthermore, the Australian government has introduced a new genuine student test for all international students, which will replace the existing GTE requirement. Also, high-risk student applications will now be scrutinised.
In addition, the amount of savings international students will need to be eligible for a student visa has also been increased. Applicants now need to show evidence of $24,505 in savings.
“The GS requirement focuses on the assessment of the student’s genuine intention to study in Australia, having regard to a number of factors, including the applicant’s circumstances, evidence of course progression, immigration history, compliance with visa conditions and other relevant matter,” the official notification stated.
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According to government data, 1,00,009 Indian students were present in Australia in 2022. In 2019, 73,808 Indian students went to Australia on student visas, 33,629 in 2020 and 8,950 in 2021. However, experts are worried that the change in the visa rules can negatively affect the visa application acceptance rate for Indian students.
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