New Student Visa Requirements as of 23 March 2024

Overview

On the 21st of March, Minister of Home Affairs Claire O’ Neil announced changes to be made affecting student and temporary graduate visas. These changes were announced as part of the government’s ‘Migration Strategy’ released on 11 December last year.

These drastic changes will come into effect for applications which are lodged on or after 23 March 2024. These decisions have been purposefully made to elevate competition among prospective visa holders. This follows closely to the changes announced last year, declaring a halving of the student visa intake to tackle issues such as high demand-pull inflation and renting crisis. 

Furthermore, there has been a rebranding of the previously known ‘GTE Statement’ which is known as the ‘GS’ or ‘Genuine Student’ Requirement

How does the new Genuine Student Requirement affect Student Visas?

The changes from the ‘GTE” or ‘Genuine Temporary Entrant’ Requirement and the ‘Genuine Student’ Requirement are essentially minimal. These changes have essentially been poised as a political tool by the Department of Immigration to appear as though they have been protecting domestic students’ positions at educational institutions from the large intake of international students. 

As examined by a new media publication from the Department of Home Affairs, there is essentially no difference between the two statements. However, student visa applicants should note that both the main applicant and the dependent are now required to both submit their own version of the Genuine Student Requirement Statement and Genuine Student Requirement – Dependant Statement. 

Assessment Criteria for Genuine Student Requirement: 

Previous Study:

- Review academic transcripts indicating attained qualifications

- Specify education provider(s) names and duration of study

- Present certificates of achievement

- Provide a comprehensive history of study in Australia, detailing any course changes, reasons behind them, course progress, study gaps exceeding 2 months, and any other pertinent information.

Current Employment:

- Furnish details of current employer and their location

- Indicate duration of current employment

- Describe current position held

- Supply contact information of a person who can validate the declared employment circumstances.

Circumstances in Home Country/Residence:

- Outline personal connections like family, community involvement, and employment status

- Provide documentation of economic activity over the past year, such as employment records or business dealings, along with any prospective job offers post-course completion, income tax returns, or bank statements.

- Offer reasons and evidence of political unrest, civil disturbances, military obligations, or other factors prompting departure from the home country.

Assessment of Eligibility: 

- Consider individual circumstances, immigration history, adherence to visa conditions, and other pertinent factors.

- Recognize available post-study pathways for eligible candidates.

- Analyze the course's relevance to the applicant's current educational level and future job prospects, expected remuneration, and other perks post-qualification.

Situations in Home Country/Residence:

- Assess rationale behind not pursuing similar courses in the home country, personal connections, financial status, military commitments, and political or civil unrest.

Immigration History:

- Admit past visa and travel records for Australia and other countries, previous visa applications, refusals, or cancellations

How does the new English Language requirement affect student visas? 

For applications lodged, on or after 23 March 2024: 

• The minimum score required will increase from an IELTS test score of 5.5 to 6 (or equivalent) 

• The minimum score mandated to take a packaged ELICOS program from IELTS increases from 4.5 to 5 (or equivalent) 

• For students studying English only, from an ELICOS provider there will be no change 

• The IELTS score, for students taking higher education foundational courses and or pathway programs that contain English language training will remain at 5.5. 

Please note that for other English-Language Proficiency tests, you can view the minimum requirements by viewing the ‘Document Checklist Tool’ provided by the Department of Immigration, to view whether your intended institution requires English-Language requirements: https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/web-evidentiary-tool

How PACE can help 

As one of the best agents for student visa in Sydney, we can take the stress out of understanding the migration process and any immediate changes that may arise in immigration law. As we have more than 15 years' experience, clients are known to trust our professional services in visa applications as we develop a specific migration pathway plan including meeting Student Visa GS requirements for you and cover the entire lodgment process. 

To inquire about student visa or any other visa type, you may book an appointment with Syed by clicking here.