At least five Australian universities have placed bans or restrictions on students from some Indian states, amidst a surge in fraudulent applications from South Asia seeking to work – not study – in this country, according to a media report.
Australia is on track for its biggest-ever annual intake of Indian students, topping 2019’s high watermark of 75,000.
But the current surge has prompted concerns from lawmakers and the education sector about the integrity of Australia’s immigration system and the long-term impact on the nation’s lucrative international education market, The Sydney Morning Herald newspaper reported on Tuesday.
“The volume of students arriving has come back a lot stronger than anyone was expecting,” said Jon Chew from global education firm Navitas.
“We knew there would be a lot of pent-up demand, but there has also been a surge in non-genuine students,” Chew was quoted as saying.
With many applications deemed by universities not to meet Australian visa requirements that they are a “genuine temporary entrant” coming solely for education, universities are putting restrictions in place to pre-empt their “risk rating” being downgraded, the report said.
Courtesy : The Indian Express