International students benefit with changes to Skilled Migration Requirements
Written by ISD
MEDIA RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE . . . .
International students benefit with changes to Skilled Migration Requirements
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
With many international students lured to Australia for the permanent residency opportunities, the changes to eligibility have been a long time coming.The main changes that will affect students are that there will be a broadening of educational backgrounds on an even par with each other eligible to apply for skilled migration.Students with higher levels of English and relevant work experience will be rewarded for their abilities.
In addition, international students who merely want to stay in Australia for an extra 18 months to gain work experience, or enhance their professional skills or English language ability now will not have to endure the rigorous permanent residency process but are able to apply for a temporary visa from which they may at any time apply for permanent residency.
International Students Save on Extra Visa Application Fees
Written by ISD
MEDIA RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE . . . .
International Students Save on Extra Visa
Application Fee
Wednesday, May 9, 2007
International Students welcome the Federal Government changes to the student visa system
that will include permission to work in their initial student visa application. Currently students
are required to apply twice for their student visa; the second time in order to gain permission
to work part time while studying in Australia. Under the current system, students have to wait
until they have arrived in Australia and begun their course before they are able apply for
permission to work.
NLC National Convenor, Mr Eric Yenz Pang says, “This new change simply reverses the
government’s changes that were implemented in 2002 when the separate application for
permission to work was introduced. At that time, NLC opposed the change insisting it was
nothing more than a revenue raising scheme.”
“Given that international students are rarely refused permission to work part time, this is a
great reversal by the minister, as it reduces the chances of students being at risk of working
illegally”, Mr Pang continues.
International students will again be able to work once they arrive, it will save them the time
that was taken up by having to make the second application.
However it is still unclear what grounds permission to work will be granted, and if there is any
chance to appeal this decision, particularly if the visa application is made offshore, NLC would
like further information on these points from the Department of Immigration and Citizenship.
Media Enquiries: Eric Yenz Pang
National Convenor, Mobile: 0422 868 948; Email:
For International Students
In Australia Inc.
CQU fails to understand international students yet again!
Written by ISD
MEDIA RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE . . . .
CQU fails to understand international students yet again!
Thursday, 15 March 2007
A group of sixty Masters of Accounting students from the Central Queensland University Melbourne International Campus went on strike yesterday blaming the course coordinators of misleading them into not revising for topics that appeared on the examination thus causing them to fail the supplementary exam.The strike action continues today, with some students embarking on hunger strikes causing enormous concern to international student support groups who now call for government intervention and investigation into the CQU treatment of these students.
The students, who last semester completed their last year of study, and this being their last subject, fear of their future as their visas expire tomorrow. The students protested at the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) earlier this morning after being given assurance of being issued an eCOE (Confirmation of Enrolment).A university representative told the students later in the day that they would not get extensions for re-enrolment and would have to pay up both the cost of the subject and costs associated with renewing their visas within two days to ensure a place in the university to finish their course or go back to their country without a degree.
The National Liaison Committee for International Students in Australia Inc. strongly supports the cause of the students and will extend their hand in ensuring a fair and balanced decision from the university authorities. The university students are being urged and assisted to lodge formal complaints with the relevant government authorities as this is the second time since May the same issue has occurred.
“This incident at CQU and Deakin are evidence that contradict the claims of some universities demanding international students be passed and had lowered their standards as a result of that,” Eric Pang, NLC National Convenor said. “NLC is looking forward to the implementation of the new national code and ESOS framework that will better protect the rights of international students in Australia from unscrupulous providers to ensure such treatment is prevented in future.”
Media Enquiries:
Eric Yenz PangMohit Masand
National ConvenorVictorian Branch Convenor
Mobile: 0422 868 948Mobile:0404 402 253
Email:
Email:
International Students Subject to Racist and Physical Attack
Written by ISD
For Immediate Release
International Students Subject to Racist and Physical Attack
28th February 2007
New South Wales State Convenor for the National Liaison Committee for International Students in NSW (NLCNSW) was victim of a racial attack in Ourimbah on the night of 22nd February when he went to pick his cousin up from work.
Shehbaz Singh and his cousin Navpreet Singh, who is also an international student form India at Newcastle University’s Ourimbah campus, were racially abused and violently attacked by three male Caucasians just outside the restaurant where Navpreet Singh finished to work on that night.
The incident was reported to Wyong Police Station and the NLCNSW convenor alerted immediately the University’s administration also.
NLCNSW emphatically condemn this racial and violent attack on these two international students from Newcastle University.
Veronica Meneses, NLCNSW Education Convenor said, “we [NLC] have been campaigning for many years against racism and discrimination and we will continue to campaign and denounce any forms of abuse against international students in NSW or in Australia”.
The NLCNSW State Convenor, Shehbaz Singh, said “The NLCNSW will not tolerate racism faced by international students in NSW or in Australia, whether this is structural- as in the denial of public transport concession; political – as in the lack of effective representation and legal rights, or those stemming from a core issue of discrimination and racial abuse by individuals or groups in NSW or in Australia”
Shehbaz SinghVeronica Meneses
State ConvenorEducation Convenor
NLCNSWNLCNSW
04159952330405991877
Federal Education Minister Supports Concessions For All Students
Federal Education Minister Supports Concessions For All Students
Monday, 12 February 2007
The National Liaison Committee for International Students in Australia welcomes the support expressed by Federal Education Minister Julie Bishop that public transport concession should be available to all international students in Australia.
While not wanting to enter into a political debate between the two major political parties, the NLC is pleased that the contribution made by international students to the Australian economy is recognized by the Federal Minister, as it is currently not recognized by the state governments ofeither New South Wales or Victoria.International students contribute approximately $5 billion to both state’s economies and while this money is gladly accepted by the state governments, neither are willing to reinstate the availability of transport concession for these students.
Recent studies into financial security of international students have shown that these students are often facing financial difficulties, particularly in the larger cites, Melbourne and Sydney, and although required to show financial independence prior to being granted student visas, the amount of money required to be shown does not come close to the actual amounts that students require to meet financial commitments while they are living in Australia. [1]
Eric Pang, NLC National Convenor said, "Many international students are dependant on income from part-time employment and many have taken out substantial loans to fund their education.Public Transport concession is a normal entitlement for both local and international students studying full time in most countries around the globe and in all other states and territories in Australia. In addition, the New South Wales and Victorian government’s education advertising does not inform students that they will not be entitled to transport concessions which can often leave many international students in these states quite disappointed in the treatment they receive."
Mr. Pang continues, “We are only asking for a fair go and that the state governments not discriminate against us, this can be proven by giving us the same transport concession rates that our fellow Australian classmates are receiving in New South Wales and Victoria. We are full-fee paying students and we pay tax too, and we deserve to be treated the same as any other students!” Mr. Pang added that “the NSW Transport Minister Mr. Watkins does not seem to be able to differentiate between the definition of ‘free ride’ and ‘transport concession’ as clearly demonstrated in several of his misleading statements. NLC is disgusted by his offensive claim again and calls for an apology from the NSW Transport Minister. "
Media Enquiries: Eric Yenz PangNational Convenor, Mobile: 0422 868 948; Email:
[1] Forbes-Newett, H. et al, 2006. Income Security of International Students in Australia. ISANA 2006 Conference, UNSW, Sydney, NSW
