Institutions are now expressly prohibited from issuing concurrent COEs, marking a decisive step to eliminate deceptive practices and gaps in the system. Clare O’Neil, the Minister for Home Affairs, emphasized the government’s commitment to eliminating these irregularities
The Australian government unveiled a comprehensive set of measures on August 26, 2023. The steps are aimed at preserving the reputation of Australia’s global education sector and implemented with immediate effect, nriaffiars.com reported.
THE MEASURES INCLUDE:
Closing Immigration Loopholes: The government has addressed a significant gap in immigration regulations that allowed international students to transition from genuine studying to work-focused setups after spending less than six months in Australia. This transition was facilitated by the acquisition of “concurrent COEs” (Confirmations of Enrolment) for programs in both higher education and vocational training (VET) sectors.
Institutions are now expressly prohibited from issuing concurrent COEs, marking a decisive step to eliminate deceptive practices and gaps in the system. Clare O’Neil, the Minister for Home Affairs, emphasized the government’s commitment to eliminating these irregularities.
Financial Security for Students: To mitigate the risk of international students being forced into exploitative work due to financial constraints, the government has increased the required savings for those applying for an Australian study visa by 17%. As a result, students must now demonstrate savings of $24,505.
Scrutiny of High-Risk Applicants: The government is intensifying scrutiny of “high-risk cohorts” among potential international students, as these groups tend to submit a higher number of fraudulent applications.
Suspension Powers under ESOS Act: Under Section 97 of the Education Services for Overseas Students Act (ESOS Act), the government is considering the issuance of suspension certificates to high-risk education providers. Such certificates would bar these providers from enrolling international students. If this action is taken, it would mark the first instance of such suspension powers being exercised, primarily due to concerns about over 200 providers with visa refusal rates exceeding 50%.
These actions come in response to concerns within the Australian international education sector regarding immigration loopholes that inadvertently encourage dishonest students to enter the country
In addition to these measures, the Australian government is set to empower the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) to regulate administrators, overseers, and controllers of Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) more effectively. As part of this initiative, RTO owners will be required to meet “Fit and Proper Person” criteria to register and manage their businesses. This step aims to root out unscrupulous operators who exploit students and fail to deliver the expected quality of education and training.
Brendan O’Connor, the Minister for Skills and Training, underscored the government’s commitment to bolstering the credibility of the VET sector, acknowledging its crucial role in preparing students for the workforce.
These actions come in response to concerns within the Australian international education sector regarding immigration loopholes that inadvertently encourage dishonest students to enter the country.
Jason Clare, the Minister for Education, welcomed the return of international student enrollments to nearly pre-pandemic levels but recognized the persisting challenges. He explained that these changes are intended to prevent opportunistic “second” providers from enrolling students prematurely and thus uphold the integrity of Australia’s major export industry while cracking down on unscrupulous operators.
The government’s aim is to counter the practice known as “course hopping,” where students obtain visas for respected higher education or vocational education and training (VET) programs but subsequently switch to lower-cost private colleges, sometimes without attending classes—an issue commonly referred to as “ghost colleges.” Course hopping allows students to work in Australia, contrary to their stated purpose of studying.
The ease with which students could obtain two Confirmations of Enrolment (COEs) on the same visa, known as “concurrent enrolments,” had facilitated this practice. The government’s findings indicated a significant increase in concurrent enrolments during the first half of 2023, underscoring the necessity of these regulatory changes.
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