Australia has now extended the post-study work rights for international students within industries facing a skills shortage.
“Important announcement from the floor of the Jobs and Skills Summit – we will increase by two years post-study work rights for international students who graduate from Australian universities in areas of verified skills shortage,” Australia’s Minister for Education Jason Clare tweeted.
Here are the highlights:
. Students graduating with degrees linked to workforce shortages will be able to work for far longer in the Australian economy than they have been until now.
. In a related development, the Australian Govt will direct a new budget allocation of AUS$36 million to improve visa processing for international students and reduce delays in visa decisions.
. The news will heighten Australia’s competitiveness relative to the other major English-speaking study-abroad destinations of Canada, the UK, and the US.
. The government has announced that the extension of post-study work rights for international students of certain degrees is linked to skills shortages in the Australian economy.
Two additional years of post study work rights
. Select Bachelor’s degrees will provide international students with four-year post-study work permission – up from the current limit of two years.
. Select Master’s degrees will now afford students up to five years of work experience after graduation – up from the current limit of three years.
. And those with select PhD degrees can work for up to six years – up from the current limit of four years.
Australia currently ranks as the third most popular destination for global students within the English-speaking world, behind the United States and the UK. The popularity stems from its cultural diversity, friendly natives, and high quality of education from globally accredited Universities.