By Ashok Kumar

Immigration and Citizenship Minister Senator Chris Evans

Sydney:

While Australian Immigration and Citizenship Minister, Senator Chris Evans, in an effort to pre-empt the drop in Indian students’ enrolment for the July semesters assured the Indian community in Melbourne of full safety for the students, a report in the media said that the Indian students have now joined their ilk from Bangladesh and Cambodia as the highest risk groups for visa violations.

According to a review of the student visa program assessment levels, conducted by the Department of Immigration and Citizenship last September across all applicant countries, ranked Indian students alongside Bangladeshis and Cambodians as a level-four risk – the second highest risk category. No country currently ranks as a top level-five risk.

The upgrade resulted in a significant tightening of the rules for Indian students, which is likely to dampen demand for Indian student enrolments more than any short-term impact from recent publicity over assaults on students in Australia, education agents say.

The amended rules now envisage that Indian students must now prove they have enough money to survive for the duration of their study and pass more stringent English language tests.  According to some agents in Sydney, the students who “pass” the ILE test in India can hardly communicate in English on arrival. Some can even differentiate between hospital and hospitality, a co-passenger of the students overheard and mentioned to this correspondent.

The Australian government should be stricter with this test apart from proving financial back-up.  

A report in The Australian newspaper  quoted Mr. Harmeet Pental, South Asia director of the Australian university-owned IDP Education agency, as saying that  he had seen no evidence of a drop in enrolments for the July university semester among Indian students, though that could change next year.

But Mr Pental apprehended that the impact new visa restrictions would have on the growth in the numbers of Indian students attending university.

Mr Pental said the crackdown failed to distinguish between “quality” university students and the almost 80 per cent of all Indian students who came to study vocational education training courses such as cookery and hairdressing, seen by many as a backdoor means of gaining permanent residency.

Gulshan Pathania, president of the Association of Australian Education Representatives in India, said while visa breaches were overwhelmingly committed by vocational students, university students were also being punished.

The number of Indian students studying in Australia has risen dramatically in recent years, from 11,313 in 2002 to 96,739 last year.

Immigration risk levels for Indian students were upgraded after a DIAC audit found that in 2006-07, 4.66 per cent of the 58,268 Indian nationals granted visas breached their conditions, compared with an average rate among foreign students of 1.32per cent.

In 2007-08 the unlawful rate among Indian students was 1.48per cent of a total 87,145 Indian visa-holders, compared with 0.99 per cent for the average foreign student.

The Immigration Department insists the visa restrictions will not affect the applications of genuine students.

Meanwhile, according to a Department of Immigration and Citizenship, media release, Senator  Chris Evans, who met representatives from Indian community to listen directly to their views on the recent incidents involving Indian students., reassured them that the Australian Government welcomes students from India and values their decision in coming to Australia to further their studies.”Such attacks will not be tolerated and the Rudd government has joined community leaders in condemning these crimes,” Evans said.

“Steps have already been taken to increase protection for the student community including increased police operations and public safety information sessions,” he added.

Australia is a tolerant, multicultural society that prides itself on its diversity and the Rudd Government takes very seriously Australia’s reputation as a safe destination for international students seeking high quality education.

Nearly 500 000 international students were enrolled in Australian institutions last year, including more than 90 000 students from India.

Evans assured Indian students and the community representatives that reporting of crime incidents to police will not affect their visa status and said Australians have been shocked and appalled by the reports of violence against international students.

“Criminal behaviour is unacceptable in Australia. The Australian Government is encouraging the Indian community, including international students, to remain calm and work with the Victoria and New South Wales Police to catch the people responsible for these crimes,” the minister said in a statement released here.

As many as 14 Indian students have been assaulted in Australia in the past month, sparking angry protests in India.

Earlier, the Prime Minister has established a Taskforce on Crimes Against International Students under the leadership of the National Security Adviser to coordinate action across all levels of government. Steps have already been taken to increase protection for the student community including increased police operations and public safety information sessions.

And, the Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard who is also the Education Minister announced a number of initiatives to promote and protect international student welfare.

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