Australia: New Visa Rules Announcement for Indian Students

This new rule falls under the Mobility Arrangement for Talented Early-professionals Scheme (MATES). This scheme will open employment options for 3000 young Indian professionals from different fields like artificial intelligence, renewable energy, information communication and technology, engineering, financial technology, etc. 

The adjustments have been put into effect as a result of the bilateral agreement that India and Australia signed in May 2023. Further, under the Mobility Arrangement for Talented Early-professionals Scheme (MATES), Indian students have the choice to work in Australia without a visa for up to eight years. Along with this, Australia will provide 3000 young Indian professionals the chance to work there each year without a visa for a maximum of eight years. 

Additionally, Indian international students in Australia will be able to spend two years in the country without any visa sponsor. The MATES programme, which offers temporary visas to professionals from India working in industries like engineering, information and communication technology, mining, financial technology, artificial intelligence, and renewable energy, is open to those who are nationals of those countries.

In order to be eligible for the MATES visa program, candidates must be under the age of 31, have degrees from accredited institutions, and be in the beginning phases of their employment. However, the concerned authorities have not announced the visa processing time and associated fees.

Australia previously announced that it intended to restructure its immigration policy in order to hasten the entry of highly qualified professionals into the nation. Hence, by expediting the visa application process for highly educated individuals and putting policies in place to keep overseas students in the country, the government hopes to attract skilled migrants.

Under this new amendment and visa rule, students are now able to work for up to 48 hours per fortnight since July 1, 2023. Although students working in the aged care sector are exempted and allowed to work unlimited hours till December 21, 2023.

Q1. What will change with the Australian student visa in 2023?

Ans. Work limitations for those with student visas will be set at 48 hours per two weeks as of 1st July 2023. This ensures that students concentrate on receiving a top-notch Australian education and credential.

Q2. Does Australia provide student visas to Indians?

Ans. It is, indeed. Before departing, you must apply for a visa if you plan to study in Australia. Online applications are available for Australian student visas. This visa is good for the duration of your course.

Q3. Does Australia allow a seven-year gap?

Ans. While each Australian institution has its unique requirements for entry, most allow students with a short study gap of 6 months without justification and one to two years with competitive exams like NEET or IIT as the justification at the bachelor's level. Else at the Master's level, a study gap of 3-4 years is accepted, but that must be justified with proper work experience and documents.

Q4. Australia denies student visas, right?

Ans. Your Australian study visa application may be denied if you lack sufficient evidence to support the statements you made. You must include adequate details to support the requests' assertions.

Q5. Why does Australia refuse student visas?

Ans. The rejection of an Australian student visa for financial reasons is very usual. Every country will want to make sure visa applicants have enough money to support their studies and the expense of living since, as we all know, education abroad is expensive.

Q6. What are the important changes made by the government to Australian student visas from 1st July 2023?

Ans. From 1st July 2023, holders of student visas will be permitted to work without restriction and just need to adhere to their visa's employment requirements. The maximum number of hours that may be worked each week has also risen from 40 to 48 per fortnight.

Q7. What is the success rate for an Australia study visa in the year 2023?

Ans. The success rate of an Australia study visa is 23.3% for higher education, 18.9% for Training in Vocational and Academic Fields and 11.8% for the Sector of Postgraduate Research.

Q8. Will the Australia visa fee increase in 2023?

Ans. With effect from 1st July 2023, the Australian government has announced a significant hike in visa application fees. Student visa (subclass 500) visa fees have been updated to 710 AUD.

 To conclude, the new visa rules for Indian students in Australia will benefit the international student community a lot. It will reduce the hassle of going through processes to work in the country upon completion of the chosen academic program. With this, the path to permanent residency will also smoothen, making the visa process for highly skilled professionals easier and quicker. If you are also looking for options to study in Canada, there has never been a better time to consider the country. It can benefit you greatly in your academic endeavour and career pace. We know you will figure out what is best for you.

We hope you enjoyed learning about the New visa rules for Indian students in Australia and got great insight into the eligibility criteria, what led to the changes and much more. If you would like to get a deeper understanding of the topic or have any questions about how to study in Australia, we encourage you to speak with our team of expert counsellors at Meridean Overseas Education Consultants (MOEC). Our counsellors will provide you with guidance throughout your study abroad journey. Get help with the application process, SOPs, and filing for a visa. Visit us and get one-to-one counselling or avail yourself of free video counselling via our website. We will be happy to help you, so please do not hesitate to contact us at application02@meridean.org or 1800-1230-00011.