Former Sydney 2000 Olympics minister Michael Knight. Photo: Brett Costello. Source: The Daily Telegraph
ONEROUS visa requirements for overseas higher education students will be lifted, and a two- to four-year post-study work visa will be introduced for foreign university graduates, under key recommendations from the Knight review of the student visa program.
But universities will have to wait about a year for the changes, which are scheduled to apply from second semester next year.
And vocational training colleges will have to wait on a second review, also scheduled next year, before they see major changes to visa processing arrangements for their own international students.
Student visa arrangements, along with the strong Australian dollar and tighter skilled migration rules, are seen as a key factor behind a dramatic plunge in overseas student numbers.
So far vocational and English language colleges have felt the biggest impacts, with university enrolments little changed.
Under the new rules for universities, all students will be treated as 'low risk'.
