Some universities ban Indian students in wake of visa fraud

AAP 20 April 2023

Australian universities are cracking down on students from some Indian states amid a surge in fraudulent visa applications, reports AAP. There are concerns in the government and higher education sector that the integrity of Australia’s immigration system is at risk, with migrants seeking to game the student visa system as an easier pathway to access work rights.

Since the reopening of borders to international students after the COVID-19 pandemic, applications have rebounded faster than expected. Annual applications from Indian students in particular are expected to exceed a pre-pandemic high of 75,000 after Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Indian counterpart Narendra Modi signed a wide-ranging agreement making it easier for citizens to travel and study between the two countries.

An investigation by The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald found five universities – Victoria University, Edith Cowan University, the University of Wollongong, Torrens University, and education agents working for Southern Cross University – are putting in place bans on Indian students from some states to pre-empt greater restrictions being imposed by the Department of Home Affairs.
Full report on the SBS News site

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