Thousands of Indian students enrolled in vocational courses like cookery and hairdressing, which till now allowed a 'fast track' to permanent residency, will have to sit for a test requiring 'competent' English language skills while applying to live and work in Australia.
"Trades people applying to live and work in Australia permanently from July one will require increased English language skills," according to new immigration policy changes issued by the Australian Immigration Department
The change will mean that people applying for the general skilled migration visas overseas will have to pass a test showing they have competent English. In the past, the pass mark was based on vocational English, a lower standard.
"Trades people lodging skilled migration visa applications overseas will be required to meet the new English language level under International English Language Testing System test.
"This change will bring trade-related occupations in line with the English language level required for all other occupations on the Skilled Occupation List," the department said, adding that research has shown that migrants proficient in English have better employment outcomes.
Earlier, international students, including Indians, who completed courses in hairdressing and cookery were getting extra migration points towards applications for permanent residency because the two trades were included on the Migration Occupations in Demand List.
Asked if cookery and hairdressing courses wherein Indian students were enrolled in large numbers were removed from the list, a spokesperson from Immigration Department told PTI that 'unless applicants with these qualifications are sponsored by an employer or state/territory government, their applications for permanent residency are not being processed as a priority.'
The new changes were part of the government's plan to take up a task of constructing a long-term planning framework for migration.
Last month, Australian Government also announced reducing permanent skilled migrant intake for 200910 Migration Programme, in response to the continued economic slowdown, according to minister for immigration and citizenship, Chris Evans.
"The government remains committed to a strong migration programme but unemployment in Australia is expected to increase as the economy slows," Evans said.
The migration intake in the coming year reflects the economic climate while ensuring employers can gain access to skilled professionals in industries still experiencing skills shortages, he said.
"The reduction is being achieved through a cutback in places for the general skilled category rather than in the high-demand employer-sponsored category or in areas in which Australia has critical skills shortages," Evans said.
The new changes of withdrawing most vocational trades, including plumbing, welding and carpentry from its skills priority list, apart from proposal to remove cookery and hairdressing from the list of occupational skills in short supply was a seen as a step that may have widespread ramifications for the 15-billion-dollar international education industry of the country.
Hairdressing and cookery were popular courses among Indian students as extra migration points allowed a 'fast track' to their residency in Australia.
The new changes could affect students enrollment number from India.
For the year to July, national training sector enrollments jumped 44 per cent on the previous year, reflecting the popularity of private training colleges as lucrative businesses thrive on fees from international students.
The Immigration Department spokesperson said that the Australian government's first priority was to provide training and education so that Australians have the skills to address the country's main labour market requirements.
"Our immigration programme is closely linked to this process and seeks to supplement it only where there remains unmet demand for skilled workers," he said.
"In the light of the current economic crisis, only applications from people sponsored by an employer, a state or territory government or with an occupation on the Critical Skills List will be given processing priority. Hairdressers and hospitality workers are not on the CSL," the spokesperson said.
Overseas students who have taken these courses in Australia, if they have skills in short supply, can still be sponsored by an Australian employer and granted a visa, provided they meet all relevant criteria for grant of visa.
The department said that applying for a student visa and applying for general skilled migration are separate processes -- neither there is an entitlement to, nor should it be assumed that permanent migration will follow a finite period of study in Australia.