According to a recent announcement by the Australian government on 26 May 2014, the streamlined visa processing (SVP) arrangements are extended to students enrolled in advanced diploma level courses at low immigration risk providers.

 

Low immigration risk education providers are organizations offering bachelor, masters or doctoral degree level courses. The Department of Immigration and Border Protection will write to eligible providers by the second half of 2014 inviting them to participate in the arrangements, which is expected to commence by early 2015.

 

Scott Morrison, Minister for Immigration and Border Protection indicated that the streamlining of the visa application process for advanced diploma courses will benefit eligible students through simpler and faster visa processing, and is in addition to existing arrangements for eligible higher education sector students.

 

"This will enable eligible education providers in the Vocational Education and Training (VET) sector and higher education sector to directly access SVP. This will make study in Australia even more attractive to overseas students, while at the same time ensuring that immigration risk is appropriately managed,' said Minister Morrison.

 

The announcement was made in a joint statement by Minister Morrison and Minister for Education Christopher Pyne, who believed these changes would substantially benefit Australia's high-quality VET and higher education sectors, supporting the sustainable growth of Australia's international education industry while providing a vital boost to the economy.

 

"The number of international students seeking to study in Australia continues to rebound positively, with an increase of over 27 per cent in the number of visas granted to offshore applicants in the 2013-14 programme year," Minister Pyne said.

 

If you are interested in Australian visas, contact our Migration Expert for information and advice on which visa is best suited to you. You can also try our online assessment to see if you are eligible to apply for a visa to Australia.