Help required from all on student visas in Australia
 

As you are all aware the TRA as trying to implement changes as from the 1st September which will make most of the practical work we have been doing redundant for a TRA positive assessment. They are wanting us to do an additional 900 paid work experience. Those of us at certain colleges where we get 900 or more hands on experience feel this is unfair.

I have been in contact with Mark the Marketing & international Student Liaison at my school and he is doing lots to try and change this ruling. I am posting his progress so far. :thumbup:

Dear Esther

We had a meeting on Tuesday with the ex Speaker of the House in Qld who is now a well connected migration agent who understands the halls of power. He has been battling Trades Recognition Australia too over another matter so he is happy to go to bat on this issue as he sees it highly unjust.

We have been working closely with ACPET who are the peak body for Private Education providers. They have been negotiating with Trades Recognition Australia over some considerable time and were totally surprised by this turn of events as at no stage had Trades Recognition Australia mentioned this during their negotiations. ACPET have put together an excellent discussion accompanied by suggestions for improvement which they will be endeavouring to present to Trades Recognition Australia and the minister involved.

The media have been onto it but sadly they grabbed the wrong end of the stick and sensationalised it but their efforts did raise the level of interest in the matter.

I arranged a meeting with the Vocational Education and Training Export office which is part of the QLD Premier’s department. Lina Bernadette and I met with them yesterday morning and they responded yesterday afternoon to us. They see these changes as damaging to the Education industry that they have invested so much money in to develop over recent years and so they are currently researching and putting together a strategy to have the matter addressed at the very highest levels of Govt.

Esther we are plugging away, doing our best. I gave out a list of contacts to about 30 interested students yesterday. Many of them thought that it would not affect them because they were already enrolled. I had to wise them up! At the moment this problem is consuming about 80% of my time, and I am sure it will until this is rectified.

I can’t promise a positive result. But I will do my best.

I hope it works out for you.

I just had a thought... You might like to chat with an reporter at one of the newspapers or the TV.

Kind regards

--
Mark Andersen
Marketing & international Student Liaison

He has also given me a list of names and addresses for you to write to let them know how this decision has and will affect you and what resolution you would like to see. He suggests you act quickly because the wheels of Government revolve slowly.

If you would like a copy of them please PM me and I will forward the list to you. Please help, the more people who write in might affect the decision made
:)

Re: Help required from all on student visas in Australia
 

Good luck, hope the changes don't come in or at least a favourable compromise is agreed upon!!

Mandy

Re: Help required from all on student visas in Australia
 

Im on a student visa too, im studying at TAFE, luckily for me I already have about 500 hours and I have pay slips for them.
It's looks like things are only going to get harder and harder the student route.

Good luck to everyone. :)

Re: Help required from all on student visas in Australia
 

Thanks for the good wishes