AFP and Wallis Wang
Australia has unveiled plans to slash the number of migrants arriving in the country, making it harder for foreign students to enter because of stricter English requirements.
In a migration strategy revealed yesterday, the Australian government said the International English Language Testing System score required for a student visa will increase from 5.5 to 6.0 early next year. The score required for a graduate visa will also rise from 6.0 to 6.5.
”Australia is a proud multicultural, multilingual country,” officials said. “However, the Migration Review found student English language requirements may not set up students to succeed.’
”English proficiency has a clear and direct relationship with strong education and labor market outcomes.
”Our English language requirements for these visas are currently below those of comparable countries, such as Canada.”
The higher requirement will “deliver a range of benefits to the international education sector, the migration system, the labor market and students.”
Roughly half a million temporary migrants entered the country in the last year – a post-pandemic boom after some years of closed borders.
The government believes its reforms – along with short-term trends – will take the number closer to 250,000 in 2024-2025.
”We are going to make sure we bring numbers back under control,” Australian Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil said.
She stressed that immigration was essential to Australia’s prosperity, describing foreign workers as the “special sauce” that made the country great.
”Virtually everything we have done as a country that’s truly mattered has involved asking the best and brightest from around the world to come and try to help us,” she added.
Ariel, a new nursing graduate who expects to work in Melbourne next year, told The Standard the tougher language requirement will not have much impact on students wanting to pursue studies in Australian universities. “The new policy mainly focuses on language requirements, but I think those who wish to study abroad should have a certain degree of proficiency in English,” she said. “Some universities in Australia also have internal language tests for their applicants.”
As a nursing graduate, Ariel is also not worried about employment prospects despite the tough migration scheme, saying the country has always been lacking healthcare professionals. Although the new policy may lead to a longer processing time for visas, Ariel believes it is reasonable since the government wants to choose migrants of higher quality.
Another Hongkonger studying early childhood education and care in Australia, Angie, said Hong Kong immigrants in the country are not under pressure at the moment as they can stay in the country via another SAR stream pathway, which allows them permanent stay after living in the country for three years.
Samuel Chan Sze-ming, managing director of Hong Kong-based education consultancy Britannia StudyLink, told The Standard the higher language requirement will “definitely have an impact on the number of overseas students” in Australia.
Both Australia and the United Kingdom are popular among Hong Kong students wishing to study abroad, he said, adding that many students may opt for the UK due to Canberra’s policy change.
”The English language requirement in the UK has always been 6.0 in IELTS,” Chan said, “so Australia used to be an attractive ‘second choice’ among students.”
He also said the low requirement in language skills used to be a “major selling point” for Australia and education agents tended to suggest to students who were struggling to opt for universities Down Under.
”But now agents believe students will have to spend more effort to study in Australia,” he added. “Since the requirements for Australia and the UK are similar now we would just choose the UK.”
wallis.wang@singtaonewscorp.com
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