The Australian student visa program now assesses visa applications on the basis of the three assessment levels assigned to passports of various countries.
This is done to align student visa requirements to the immigration risk posed by applicants from a particular country studying in a particular education sector.
International students from the so-called high risk countries would not be assessed according to the stringent Assessment Level 4 and 5 criteria now. The changes have been made to implement the recommendations made by the 'Review of the Student Visa Assessment Level Framework 2013' and have come into effect from March 22, 2014.
With this new update assessment level 1 represents the lowest immigration risk and assessment level 3 the highest.
The higher the assessment level, the greater the evidence an applicant is required to demonstrate to support their claims for the grant of a student visa.
If an international student is not eligible for streamlined visa processing, the passport they hold and the education sector of their principal course will determine the assessment level of the visa application.
The direct implication of the March 22 changes would be that the international students from countries like India, Nepal, China, Bangladesh and Pakistan would have to show lesser amount of money in order to gain entry to Australia. These students would now be required to provide evidence of funds for 12 months' study in Australia instead of 18 months.
This would mean students from subcontinent would be able to apply for a student visa with just
- one way flight ticket + two semesters of education provider fees for a year + $18610 (12 months living cost).
- in case of spouse or dependent children one needs to show funds that cover their living costs as well. $6,515 a year to support spouse, children aged 5-18 $8000 per year and $2,790 per year for every other child as well as fees for children's education.
The Assessment Level (AL) of the student determines how much funds need to be shown, who can provide these funds and how long these funds must be held. In order for the funds to be admissible they need to be held by an acceptable individual one who qualifies as someone whose income can provide for the visa applicant's education and living expenses.
An acceptable individual; can be one or more of the following:
(a) the applicant;
(b) the applicant's spouse or de-facto partner;
(c) a parent of the applicant;
(d) a grandparent of the applicant;
(e) a brother or sister of the applicant;
(f) an uncle or aunt of the applicant who is:
(i) an Australian citizen, an Australian permanent resident or an eligible New Zealand citizen; and
(ii) usually resident in Australia.
You can check the assessment levels assigned to your course and your passport for the purpose of an Australian student visa at the Department of Immigration's website here.
There has also been a change to the "substantial compliance" requirements for student visa applicants. This phrase has been removed.
This change will not just benefit new applicants but also students whose applications are being processed by DIBP or who are waiting for a Migration Review Tribunal hearing.
According to the new changes, the earlier provision that specified 'If the application was made in Australia, the applicant has complied substantially with the conditions that apply or applied to the last of any substantive visas held by the applicant, and to any subsequent bridging visa', has now been removed.
