International student visa numbers up

Total student visa grants increased from July to December 2011 compared to 2010

More international students are applying for and being granted visas to study in Australia, the latest figures from the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) show.

In the current programme year from July to December 2011, student visa application lodgements increased by 4.1% compared to the same period in 2010, according to the latest Student Visa Quarterly Report.

Total student visa grants increased by 5.9% compared to the same period in 2010 and student visas granted to offshore Indian nationals grew by 78.2%.

As at 31 December 2011 there were 254,686 international student visa holders in Australia, the figures also show.

The December 2011 quarter saw a small decrease of 0.5% in total student visa applications compared to the same period in the previous year. In this quarter there were 61,905 applications lodged which compares with 62,222 in the December 2010 quarter.

Offshore lodgements in the 2011/12 programme year until December were slightly higher, up 2%, compared to the same period in 2010/11. So far, in this programme year, offshore applications from Chinese nationals fell by 11.1% compared to the same period last year. Application lodgements from offshore Chinese nationals have been declining over the last two quarters and this has affected grant numbers.

However, offshore applications from Indian and Pakistani nationals increased significantly which may be attributed to the reduction of Assessment Levels in April 2011 for the Higher Education sector.

In the December 2011 quarter, 90.2% of student visa applications resulted in the grant of a visa. This grant rate was slightly lower than the last four quarters. The highest grant rate in the last four quarters was for March 2011 at 93.7%.

During the December 2011 quarter, 75% of all student visas were processed within 39 days while 50% were processed within 16 days. The report says that the time required to process visa applications depends on whether the applicant is onshore or offshore, the assessment level applicable to the applicant and the supporting evidence provided by the applicant.

The department gives priority to offshore applications to ensure that prospective students receive their visas in time to travel to Australia to commence their studies so offshore application processing times are generally faster than onshore processing times.

‘It should also be noted that a majority of onshore applications are incomplete when lodged which adds to onshore processing times,’ the report says.

In the December 2011 quarter, 75% of offshore applications were processed within 21 days while 75% of all onshore applications were processed within 53 days.

Onshore student visa applicants are granted a bridging visa until a decision on their application is made.

Related Posts

1. Foreign Student Numbers Declining
2. Overseas student applications for study in Australia fall
3. Investigation announced into student visa links with sex industry
4. First stage of new international student visa changes in place
5. New rules for student visa applications now in place