FAQ

To satisfy the Genuine Temporary Entrant criterion, your individual circumstances must demonstrate that you genuinely intend to stay in Australia temporarily. The factors that are considered in the GTE include: your personal circumstances in your home country; your potential circumstances in Australia; how studying in Australia will benefit your future career; all your immigration history and any other relevant intention to remain that you will be in Australia temporarily.

Statement of Purpose should include the following:

• Applicant’s Background
• Education & professional experience
• Explain your future and immediate goals
• Why did you choose this course?
• Why in this College/Institution?
• Why did you not choose an Institute in your or other country?
• How this will help you in your future
• Justify return on investment

Student visa holders cannot work until they have commenced their course in Australia. Once your course has commenced you are permitted to work a maximum of 40 hours per fortnight (period of 14 days) when your course is in session, and unlimited hours when your course is not in session, that is during school breaks.

Work that is a formal registered part of your course is not included in the limit of 40 hours per fortnight.

Students found to have breached their work conditions might be subject to cancellation of their visa.

You must obtain a TFN (Tax File Number) to be able to work in Australia. This is available from the You must obtain a Tax File Number to be able to work in Australia. This is available from the Australian Tax Office or it’s website.

Yes, they can work up to 40 hours per fortnight. Your dependent must not start work until you as the primary visa holder has commenced a course in Australia.  However, if the primary visa holder has commenced a course towards a master or doctoral degree and holds a Student visa (subclass 500) there is no limit on the number of hours a family member can work.

Shared accommodations are around $180 -$220/week. Single rooms’ prices are around $250 – $350 / week.

The duration of the student visa depends on the duration of the course that you are going to study. Usually your visa will be granted 2 months more than your course completion date stated on the CoE.

You must have adequate health insurance while in Australia. Students can show this by obtaining Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) which provides medical and hospital insurance.

The VET (Vocational Education and Training) sector include the following types or qualifications: Certificates I to IV, Diploma and Advance Diploma.

You can apply for another visa in Australia while you are holding a substantive visa. You may extend or renew your student visa for further studies.

The required level of English will depend on the education provider. However, the following minimum test scores are the most common:

IELTS — 5.5

TOEFL (internet-based test) — 46

CAE — 162

PTE Academic — 42

Yes, you may withdraw your application anytime but the DIBP visa fees are not refundable. All colleges and universities have their own policies for refund, you may refer back to your Letter of Offer for details.

OSHC fees are refundable.

Yes, tuition fees are fully refunded but the application fee is non-refundable. Most application fees are usually $200 (approximately).

The Tuition Protection Service (TPS) which is an initiative of the Australian Government to assist international students whose education providers are unable to fully deliver their course of study. The TPS ensures that international students are able to either:

• complete their studies in another course or with another education provider or
• receive a refund of their unspent tuition fees

If you meet the Australian study and English Language requirement you may be eligible for any of the two below visa:

• Graduate Work stream – 18 months
• Post-Study Work stream – two to four years

For example – you have completed a Bachelor or Master degree in Australia studying CRICOS registered courses minimum 2 years, obtained Overall 6 (minimum 5 in each) in IELTS and age below 50 you may apply for SC485 (Post-Study Stream) for 2 years. This would allow you and your dependant applicants multiple entry with unlimited hours work rights.

The Graduate Work stream is for international students who graduate with skills and qualifications that relate to an occupation considered in demand in the Australian labour market, as indicated in the Medium and Long-Term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL). A visa in this stream is generally granted for 18 months.

You can only qualify for a Post Study Work Visa if you have applied for and been granted your first student visa on or after 5 November 2011. For the purposes of applying for a subclass 485 visa under the Post-Study Work stream, only study that results in the conferral of an eligible degree level qualification will be considered. An eligible degree level qualification is a:

• Bachelor degree
• Bachelor (honours) degree
• Masters by coursework degree
• Masters (extended) degree
• Masters by research degree
• Doctoral degree

Only certain occupations are approved for use under Australia’s permanent and temporary skilled visa programmes. These occupations are categorised into two, namely, Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL) and Short-term Skilled Occupation List (STSOL)

You may apply for permanent visa under these options: Skilled Migration (Independent, Employer or State Sponsored), Family (Partner visa, Child visa, and Contributory parent), Business and Humanitarian.

The Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189) is the most popular as it allows you to apply for PR independently without relying on state sponsor or employer sponsor provided you meet the points test and invited to apply for PR.

Yes, you can apply for all types of visa from overseas except for graduate (485) and humanitarian visas.

You can find a sponsor yourself, or you can put in an expression of interest using Skill Select. Lodging an expression of interest in Skill Select allows Australian employers to see your qualifications and employment history. Employers can then contact you if they are interested in offering you a position.

Your employer has the obligation to report to the Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP) of any changes of circumstances including the closure of the business.

If this happens, you may do the following options:

Look for another employer who would nominate you preferably the same position within 60 days

Apply for another visa (student, RSMS, partner etc.) or else

Leave the country within 60 days

An expression of interest (EOI) is a method of showing your interest in applying for a skilled visa to migrate to Australia. It is an online form in Skill Select which asks a series of questions about your skills depending on the visa subclass you select.

It is used to calculate your ability to meet the points test for certain visas and can be made available to employers and state and territory government agencies if you would like to be considered for a sponsored skilled visa.

An occupation ceiling is a limit on the number of invitations that can be issued through Skill Select each year. You will not be invited to apply for one of these visas if your occupation has reached its ceiling.

Yes. You can choose to use a migration agent to assist you in submitting an EOI. Migration Agent should be registered with MARA (Migration Agents Registration Authority).

The best way to make sure that the person you are seeking migration advice from is someone you can trust is to check that they are a migration agent listed on the Office of Migration Agents Registration Authority website.

Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO) is a free online service that gives visa holders, employers and other registered organisations access to visa entitlements and status information 24 hours a day. You may click this link https://online.immi.gov.au/evo/firstParty?actionType=query