Australia Announces Major Extension of Post-Study Work Rights

September 9, 2022
3 min read
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  • Students graduating with degrees linked to workforce shortages will be able to work for far longer in the Australian economy than they have been until now
  • The government has not yet specified which degrees will be selected for work-rights extensions – this announcement is expected in late-October once a working advisory group has submitted its advice
  • In a related development, a new budget allocation of AUS$36 million will be directed at improving visa processing for international students and reducing delays in visa decisions
  • The news will heighten Australia’s competitiveness relative to the other major English-speaking destinations of Canada, the UK, and US
  • Australia’s international sector has been slower to recover from the pandemic’s impact given a border closure that stretched from the onset of the crisis to the end of 2021

There is big news from Australia this week that could dramatically boost the country’s competitiveness as a study abroad destination. The government has announced that post-study work rights for international students have been greatly extended for holders of certain degrees linked to skills shortages in the Australian economy.

 

Two additional years

  • Select bachelor’s degrees will provide international students with a four-year post-study work permission – up from the current limit of two years.
  • Select master’s degrees will now afford students up to five years of work experience after graduation – up from the current limit of three years.
  • And graduates of select PhD degrees will be able to work for up to six years – up from the current limit of four years.

 

The extensions should help Australia to increase the stay rate of the international students the country’s economy needs the most. Minister for Education Jason Clare points out that “At the moment, only 16% of international students stay on after their studies end.” He says the longer work permits “will mean they can stay on longer and use the skills they’ve gained in Australia to help fill some of the chronic skills shortages we have right now.”

 

More money for international education

The government also announced that it will funnel AUS$36.1 million into visa processing “to support 500 surge staff over the next nine months.” The idea is to reduce the amount of time students must wait for visa processing and decisions. Delays in this area have dismayed many international students over the past few months and some students have switched their study destination as a result.

Visa processing delays are not unique to Australia: the issue has been problematic in Canada, the US, and UK as well. Anecdotal reports indicate that some students research visa processing times when deciding where they will choose to study, and agents have noted that visa processing has been a major challenge for students over the course of the pandemic.

 

Caps ahead for work hours while studying

Earlier this year, the government removed caps on the number of hours international students could work in any sector of the Australian economy while studying. This policy has been under review – amid some concern about whether students could maintain a healthy balance between studying and working. Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil has announced in June 2023, limits will be reintroduced on the number of hours that international students can work while studying. work hours for international students will be capped again in June next year following feedback from stakeholders.

 

For more information visit-https://monitor.icef.com/2022/09/australia-announces-major-extension-of-post-study-work-rights/

 

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