International education providers have voiced their consternation after the Department of Immigration and Border Protection signed off on a review into the effectiveness of the Genuine Temporary Entrant (GTE) criteria - which has raised concerns in the sector since 2012 - without any industry consultation.
Australia has eased visa requirements for students from 'high risk' countries including China, India and Pakistan, reducing the evidence requirements of English language proficiency, financial capacity and previous study.
In Australia, a new report by IEAC, chaired by Michael Chaney, has suggested easing streamlined visa processing for all "low immigration risk providers" and reviewing the controversial GTE test. The government announced a new Ministerial Committee to ensure the advice will be used to build a "new blueprint for sustainable international education".
The launch last October of a "supreme council" on international education in Australia was a government plan to try to encourage innovative solutions to bolster the beleagured industry. Submissions from the sector to its discussion paper make interesting reading, with concerns over cumbersome legislation and a new "Genuine Temporary Entrant" test.
