Higher Education Sector Offshore

• Growth in lodgements over beginning of 2018/2019
• Continued expected growth

VET Sector Offshore

Department of Home Affairs

Evidence Levels

• SSVF uses a combination of immigration risk outcomes of the student’s country of citizenship to indicate whether the student needs to provide evidence of financial capacity and English language proficiency.
• They are not an indicator for the quality of an education provider or the courses they offer.
• They do not have any specific bearing on our assessment of GTE,
• Evidence Levels are not published publicly as the information is confidential and sensitive. Individual providers can access their EL in a monthly basis by subscribing to the education provider reports.

GTE : What do we require ?

Documents

• Transcripts of previous study.
• Statement of Purpose – brief but relevant addressing GTE criteria, include explanation for gaps in previous study.
• Current employment documents – current employer, company address, period of employment and details about the position held.
• Documents showing economic circumstances in home country or country of residence.
• Ties to home country or country of residence – this may include evidence of financial, family or social ties.

English Language Requirements

How to provide evidence:

• Regular evidentiary pathway
  Evidence of test score with application
• Streamlined evidentiary pathways
  Evidence of enrolment with their registered Australian Provider.
• Providers must ensure students have the language skills to participate fully in their course of study,

English Language Requirements

• The Department can request evidence of English Language to address any proficiency concerns.
  — MOIs do not meet legislative requirements.
• Department of Home Affairs is not considering any policy changes regarding English Language requirements for a Student visa.
• Department of Education and education regulators are taking steps to address issues relating to English Language Standards.

Financial Requirements

• All applicants need to have sufficient funds and genuine access to the funds and provide this information in the form.
• This includes first 12 months course costs, travel, living and accomodation costs,
• Even if evidence not initially required, we can do request financial and English Language documents and it is expected you will be able to provide them quickly, as you will have them to hand from your own checks.

Financial requirements – Sufficient Funds
Supporting documents

• We suggest all applications include as summary of financial capacity (funds available, institution and source)
  – The ‘ financial matrix’ summary template on the AHC website.
  – This is relevant for both GTE and the financial requirement where required.
• Included the financial support’s name and relationship with applicant. Also, provide the financial support;’s ID proof and contract number.
• Preferably provide clear, computerized bank statement instead of bank passbooks.

Financial requirement – Sufficient Funds
What types of funds ?

•  Acceptable types of evidence:
  – money deposit with a financial institutions:
• loan with a financial institution;
• government loan; and/or
• scholarship or financial support

This means that provident funds need to be deposited with acceptable financial institution.

• For details of acceptable financial institutions, check the AHC website.

Financial requirement – Access
How can you show genuine access to the funds ?

• To show that the student has genuine access to the funds, evidence may include:
• income evidence from official sources ((e.g. Tax Receipts).
• A history of savings and an explanation of large one-off deposits.
• For deposits from provident funds, evidence of the provident fund terms, withdrawal and amendement to fund account.
• For funds transferred from student/sponsor’s usual bank, the account history and evidence of the source of the deposits into that account ( e.g for wages, evidence of employment).

There is no visa requirement that the funds be held for a certain period. However the source of the funds can be relevant for assessing if the funds are actually available to the students.

Course selection

• Course value to future is important in GTE.
• English packaging
• Transferring to a new course onshore = new student vis.
  — Lower AQF generally requires a newer visa application
• Except for AQF 10 to AQF 9 (PhD to Masters) transfer.
  – Six month requirement : Refer ESOS National Code.

Remember that changing courses could change everything.

Refusals – can your re-lodge?

• A lawful original decision cannot be revisited.
• However, an applicant is welcome to re-lodge if the they address the reasons for their previous refusal
• We strongly encourage applicants to include as much additional or new information as they can for the decision maker
• No time limit for reapplying.

Post- study work announcement

• The Australian Government announced a new measure for former International Students, allowing an additional year of post-study work on a second subclass 485 Temporary Graduate visa.
• Strong regional focus
• Applicants must:
  – Must graduate with a Bechelor degree or higher
• Qualification must be from a regional university
• Applicant must have lived in a regional area with first sc485 visa