shears

I’d just like to throw around a few ideas, among those of us who came to Australia on a student visa, with school-age children. As we’re all aware, the cost of the school fees puts a huge strain on finances.

I’ve been looking at the IMMI website, and the approximate time-frames for granting of non-priority visas are as follows:

* Skilled – Graduate (Temporary) visa (subclass 485) = 12 months from date of lodgement

* Skilled – Independent Subclass 885 and Skilled – Sponsored Subclass 886 = Unlikely to be finalised before the end of 2011

So even if we apply/have applied for the TR 485 visa, it will take at least another year to process. The PR apps will take minimum 2 years.

Do any of you think there’s a case to be made to write to government/opposition parties to raise this issue? Are there enough people in this situation for there to be a “voice” for us? Any input/ideas/rants welcome Last July/August a few of us from college wrote letters complaining about the proposed TRA 900 hours changes and along with pressure from the colleges I think this helped a bit.

I was thinking along the lines of pointing out the cost to date of our kids’ school fees, the amount we’ve already paid out to do our own course, and the potential cost of these fees with the new visa time-lines in mind, the fact that at least one of the family (or both hopefully) are working and paying tax here in Australia.

Okay, I know before anyone shouts me down, yes, we were all well aware of the cost of the school fees before we came to Australia to study but for any of us choosing this route, it was not an easy one, just our only chance of getting to Australia. No-one could have anticipated the way the economy would turn and the effect this would have on Australia’s immigration policies. The fact is, another 2 years of uncertainty might be enough to force some people out of Australia, when they’ve already used up a substantial part of their money to get to this stage – course finished, visa applied for, and now a 2 year wait!

And if we do end up having to return to our home countries, what would our chances be of picking up the life we left behind when the job situations there are in a worse state than they are here in Australia?

Okay, sorry for waffling on a bit but feel free to jump in.

cheers
shears

Carlton Cold's

hiya shears, we absolutely agree with everything you have said and agree with your arguments. Its disgusting how us geniune student holders are being treated, particular those with families, also coming from part of the commonwealth aswell where maybe you would have thought would slighly go in our favour. Also, importantly those who have already contributed significantly to the country, working and paying taxes and simply want to offer our children a better lifestyle or opportunities.

Todate we have all paid a massive amount and risked / sacrificed a hell of alot to make this dream come too, then the big changes and goal posts moving and its almost forcing us to return home, which is going to devasted the kids after the big upheaval the first time...

Take care...

tomar

Hi Shears, I think the only thing that will sway things in our favour is if colleges that rely on the income from International students, start to loose revenue and jobs. If it becomes known internationally just how difficult it is to get PR from the student route and how badly everyone is being treated, then the potential fall out could really affect the economy. I think Int. student revenue is in the top 3 money earners for Australia.
Started down this route nearly 4 years ago, when it was a fairly straight forward route to PR, before the rules kept changing every few months. Find it hard to accept after spending thousands of dollars for good Australian qualifications, shown a commitment to wanting to live here, get a good job, the government just isn't interested. Would probably buy a property as soon as possible after gaining PR, pay taxes etc. so why on earth can't we be allowed to get on as soon as possible. We're already here!!!!!!
I do sympathise for everyone who is trying to get a visa to come here, but surely if Int. students have already been here for several years, they should have some sort of priority. Have paid for the 885 visa, and had to front load everything.
So unless either the press or TV or unis/tafes etc. get on our side, have no idea what else to suggest.
Is there any sort of student body for Int. students? That"s the only other thought.
Sorry if this is all a bit negative, but fed up with the fruitless job search, when yet again told, sorry no PR no hope! 6 months now after qualifying.

quoll

I guess if you look at it from the host country point of view - they are selling a product = education, not a roundabout way to get into the country on a permanent basis. However if the country needs hairdressers or whatever then it is in the country's best interest to employ those who have been trained to its standards. No doubt if the country needs a student's skills then they will accommodate them but otherwise you now have a decent set of skills to take back whence you came. I dont think the government ever envisaged thousands of people uprooting their families in desperation to get here, they thought they were selling a product and had no obligation for further support once that product had been sold. I would assume that people coming on student visas would be aware of the limitations and the risks before they brought their families across the world - it has never been an inalienable right to reside here for ever.

Hope it works out for you all but I can see where the government is coming from too.

shears

Fair point Quoll, but at the same time they do have a specific category of PR visa for people who have studied in Australia so they must expect some of the students who have studied here to see it as a route to PR - after all, they gave it to us!

And they have had plenty of time/opportunity to close this route (not going to call it a loophole as it clearly isn't) if they didn't want people coming into Australia in this way.

But the reason we are concerned now is with the new priority processing (which no-one could have envisaged at the time we came over) which leaves us in limbo for at least 2 years. We are not like other PR applicants offshore who at least have their unrestricted work rights in their home countries, their benefits etc and, most importantly, free education for their children. So we are living in Australia, paying tax to Australia, on a bridging visa in Australia, but paying a huge amount in school fees.

As I said in my earlier post, yes, we were aware of the risks before we came here. Those of us who have stuck it out this long, it has been a struggle but we are obviously committed to making it work. I just think there should be an exemption on the school fees for people who have spent 2 years here studying, paid 2 years' international school fees for their children, paid approx $1000 to get medicals done (which might have to be done again!), paid whatever $ on their visa application - that at this stage of the process there is a little bit of easing up on the financial burden we are under. That's all. Just looking for a "fair go"

Kingseat

I agree Shears although school fees don't apply to us just yet as our son is just 14 months old. We hope to apply for an 886 visa in 2011. We've invested a massive amount of money already....way more than we anticipated. It must be so hard with children at school age.

shears

Yes it's a struggle but it really is worth it as our children have settled in so well here. Good luck to you with your course

quoll

I suspect that this was one of the unintended consequences things that governments often implement. I doubt they really thought that families would move here as the student market has traditionally been single young people. Governments always make decisions in their own best interests and really they couldnt give two hoots about the poor Joe who has different expectations. The recession has screwed things up nicely with respect to unfettered employment and the government really has to respond to that for the benefit of all its permanent residents in the first instance. Governments and "fair go" usually dont sit well in the same sentence unfortunately.

You can always access free education back in your home country though, that is a choice I guess you make - you could go back with your new skills and apply through the channels that other skilled migrants are taking.

shears

Yes but ... "Those of us who have stuck it out this long, it has been a struggle but we are obviously committed to making it work."

Failure is not an option Giving up and going back home is not really a viable option having invested so much, not to mention you need to have a certain amount of years' experience working in your home country with your Aussie-acquired new trade, which would take a lot of us international students over the age limit - bit of a catch 22 situation.

mandyp

At the end of the day, we all chose to come over on the student visa. . .and all have to keep jumping the hoops until we ger our residency. . .and what a party we all deserve then!!

The recession is just one of those things that life hits us with. . .nothing anyone can do about it other than 'build a bridge'!! We have all 'used' the system to get us over here. . instead of spending 'x' time re-training and then 'x' amount of years getting the experience required and then 'x' time waiting for a visa. . .all whilst stuck in the UK. . .we have all chosen to come over here and live with the risks that that involves.

Yes it's crap that our budgets have not allowed for the extra to pay out. . .but instead of spending time moaning about it. ..get positive and appreciate that we are living the dream that we set out to do!! Things will work out. . .they always do if you remain positive!!

The government is not gonna give s**t about anyone's predicament unless the numbers of international applicants decreases. . .

Sorry if this is blunt. . .but we are over here on a student visa too, hubbie finishes his course in a few weeks. One slog over. . .next one begins. . .we are still happy as. ..and are very grateful every day for living our dream!!

Cheers, and good luck to you all!!
Mandy

tomar

Well said Mandy, just wish they didn't keep moving the goal posts though, and just wish N. could find someone to give him a decent job. To be honest that is the worst part of bridging visa A, no employer so far seems to to be prepared at the moment to take on anyone without PR.
Has anyone had any success finding work through the expat web site? Might be worth a try.
Hope everything works out for you and all others on the student route.

shears

hi mandy
I don't want to get into a row about it or anything cos that's not why I posted this thread but I think if you had to pay another couple of years' worth of school fees yourself you might feel a little more sympathetic to those of us in that position, but I believe your children are not school age yet.

The building a bridge thing is just a bit OTT, and we don't actually spend all our time moaning. And it wasn't an option for us to stay and study/gain new skills/gain experience at home because of our age. We've spent over $32,000 so far in school fees, and have the same again or more to come.

I'm really not trying to start an argument here but you don't know people's circumstances apart from what they post here and, no, not everything about my life is posted on here so please try not to make assumptions based on your own experience. We should be trying to support each other here.

cheers
shears

mandyp

I'm not looking to start an argument Shears. . .and i am not just basing my arguments on my experiences, just on the very fact that the student visa has ALWAYS been a risk. We all knew very well before we came over on this visa that the goal posts could change at any time. It is very frustrating. . .but I just think there is no point in wasting negative energy on anything. . .especially things that are outwith my control.

To be honest. . .if we had had to pay school fees from the off. . .we would never have made it over. As it stands now. . .we will be paying school fees from January and will have to pay from then on. In that respect we are in simlar situation to everyone else, as we used up every penny of our savings paying the last of hubbies course fees in May. We have managed to save a little. . .but that will probably be gone by the time we apply for TRA, medicals and the graduates visa next month.

I am just personally very happy that we did manage to find a way to get over here and still feel very lucky. Some people have missed there chance and are stuck somewhere they don't want to be. We will continue to jump whatever 'hoop' they put in front of us until we get our residency.

Good luck, I wish no-one any badness. . . just keep positive!!

Mandy

Carlton Cold's

Ello guys, lets just all keep a brave face and the extra school fees is going to kill us aswell and fully agree with both viewpoints, but I guess we just all maybe prayd a bit that after the hard slog of 2-yrs on the student visa route that things might bet a bit brighter, but thats life I guess.

I personally am of the simple view that after completing the 2-yr studies, paid international fees and then once in a position to apply for PR or another pathway, school fees should be waived and treated the same as other potential migrants... I believe we should all be given an even fair go, no short cuts but same conditions, but instead its just a massive money spinner for the country..

Best wishes to us all.

Russell

Cathy Makin

Just wanted to say totally agree with the last post, it is one thing committing to paying the school fees for 2 years but moving the goal posts is such a kick in the gut when we have done exactly what was required. I passed my course with flying colours all the way after workign dam hard and am now working 2 jobs in the same field just to make ends meet, as well as my hubby work full time (finally) in a crappy job as one of the first questios asked by employers is your residency status. I have emailed the Immigration Minister not sure if I will even get a reply, but as previous posts have commented, it is a massive blow when you sign up for something, as a last hope and then things change and it all looks like we could be waiting another 2 years with school fees and re doing meds etc. I think it is worth trying to lobby some how, but get the feeling we are much in the minority over here....moan over!