Australia`s home office has stopped issuing visas to students in mainland, china. (Photo by the Aussies)
Australia`s Home Office has stopped issuing visas to Chinese students admitted to educational institutions, another major blow to the international education industry, which is worth up to $40 billion a year.
The Australian Association of Education Advisors (ECAA), which has about 35 education intermediaries across Australia, claims that no student from China`s mainland has been signed since February 1 when Prime Minister Scott Morrison issued a Chinese travel ban, the Aussies reported.
Gary Li, the association`s president, said:" We haven`t seen any new visas issued since the Prime Minister announced [the travel ban]. "
On Tuesday, agent immigration agent Alan Tudge confirmed that "because of the strengthening of border security measures, we have not now completed the application for individuals now in China`s mainland." "
But mr tach also stressed that government is still processing students and other types of visas from china.
"We have made arrangements to ensure that approved visas are issued as soon as the travel ban is revised. "
The suspension of visas for students from mainland in china has raised alarm in the education industry. Because visa applicants are students who are planning to study in australia this year but whose courses have not yet begun, they are likely to easily change their minds to study elsewhere.
"They have no sense of belonging to Australia," Li said. "
Neither canada nor britain are said to have banned chinese students unless they have been in the center of the new coronavirus outbreak in hubei province for the past 14 days.
Phil Honeywood, chairman of the governing panel coordinating the education community`s response to the new coronavirus crisis, said the suspension of visas for Chinese mainland students would be a priority for the panel`s meeting on Wednesday.
"If the Ministry of the Interior delays the approval of student visas, then the education community has the right to know the reasons ", he said," educational institutions need these students to go to school without being dragged down by unnecessary bureaucracy. "
About 100 Chinese students at the AIDE, which he runs, are still waiting for their visas, but they should have been granted as usual in the past, Li said.
He said other ECAA members also had problems with Chinese students not getting visas.
The home office`s decision to stop students from returning to school because of a travel ban imposed by government has left the university at night.
Nearly 100,000 students are currently stuck in mainland, china, unable to return to australia to continue their studies, and the number of students who are unable to obtain a visa is large.
The chinese students, who are still waiting for their visas, have met the language and medical requirements of their visas and are often due soon, li said.
