A stricter skilled occupations list (SOL) would affect thousands of overseas students seeking Australian residency, including Indians, Victoria education minister has acknowledged, but assured that the government would offer support and help to those affected by the change.
Bronwyn Pike, who was recently on a week-long trip to India to promote Australia as a safe destination to study, said his state, which has by far the largest concentration of Indians, would try help students find alternatives avenues.
"We are trying to offer support to all those students and to help them find alternative courses, make a smooth transition or help them with their individual circumstances.
"We will also provide welfare support to all those students who need it," Pike told PTI here.
She said the new immigration rules made to the skilled occupational list, like dropping of courses like hairdressers and cookery, came with generous arrangements for onshore pupils who could still apply for residency provided they find a full-time employer or moved to different course which was included in the new list.
The minister said, however, the issue was a big concern for Victoria keeping in view that the state attracted more number of Indians as compared to any other state.
"I think it is a big issue but this is a decision that the commonwealth government has made. We don't have any choice," Pike said, adding that state government had communicated its concern over it to the federal government.
"We have told the federal government so they are very aware that we are very concerned about it," she said.
New figures reveal that enrolments and commencements from Indian students have dropped in the first five months in 2010 by 11% and 37% respectively as compared to the corresponding period last year.
There were 35,757 enrolments from India in Victoria during January-May this year as compared to 40,292 similar period last year whereas commencements dropped from 14,711 to 9,300 during similar period.
Wide media coverage of attacks on Indian students, most of them in Victoria, is believed to be one of the reasons for the drop.
Pike said for some students who will be in transition due to revision in occupations list, Federal government has given time to either look for an full time employer or move to other alternative courses that are included in new list.
She said "some of people who were promised the opportunity of residency here just by doing this course... that would not happen as much as it happened before".
The new list that was reduced to 181 occupations from 400 came into effect July 1 this year after issues like unscrupulous colleges offering substandard courses and dodgy agents emerged.
