Student Visa Assessment Levels Eased

There is a general easing of the assessment levels across the board with only few exceptions.

Among the key changes is China improving from 4 to 3 for the Subclass 570 Independent ELICOS Sector and the Subclass 575 Non Award Sector (but China remains at Level 4 for all other student visas).

For the key Subclass 573 Higher Education Sector the following student passport holders improve from 2 to 1 – Botswana, Brazil, Latvia, New Caledonia, Oman, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Slovak Republic, South Africa & Thailand.

The changes (starting on 1.9.08) are set out in Federal Register of Legislative Instruments (FRLI), F2008L03025, 12.8.08, IMMI 08/051 as amended by F2008L03164, 21.8.08, IMMI 08/073.

On an unrelated point the new European e-visa creates an opportunity for potential students from Eastern Europe to come to Australia and study for close to a semester to establish their ‘genuineness’ as students.  This European e-visa would therefore become a stepping stone to students visas in what was a previously difficult sector. This European e-visa is specifically recognised as a prerequisite visa for all the student visas including the Subclass 580 – Student Guardian visa.

A full exposition of this European e-visa topic is covered in Visitor Visas.