以下是摘录自使馆7TH NEWSLETTER的常见问题答复中的问题一到问题十的使馆的回复。对于我们了解一些基本的签证问题很有帮助。

At the recent eVisa conference held in Beijing, we took many questions from you – more than we were able to respond to on the spot – and promised to come back with a consolidated response that addresses your concerns. Here is the list of questions and answers by category. In addition to the questions you asked at the conference, we have also included a few other frequently asked questions received from you in the past, which we thought would be useful to post here.

General Student Policy

1.How long is the maximum break between two courses that DIMA will approve?

Under policy, the maximum break allowable between two courses is 2 months. DIMA will allow some flexibility around this rule over the Christmas holiday period in Australia.

2.What type of visa should a group of Chinese students in year 6 apply for if they are going to study a 6 month English program in Australia and can they apply through eVisa?

Year 6 students from China would not be eligible to study a 6 month English program in Australia on a student visa. AL4 applicants for a 571 (schools sector) student visa must have completed at least the equivalent of year 9 and the intended course of study must be at least 16 months in duration.

3.If the application has been lodged on-line can the applicant change provider before the visa is granted?

Yes, the applicant can change provider or courses while the application is being processed. You must provide COEs/letters of offer for the new course. Please attach these onto the browser, and send an email to your case officer notifying them that you would like to change provider/course. If the application does not have a case officer yet, send the email to estudents.adelaide@immi.gov.au

Where you provide new COEs/letters of offer, please also attach to the browser a new agent declaration and financial matrix for the changed study plan. Ensure the applicant is able to meet the new financial requirements.

4.Does a student need to be accepted into an academic high school instead of a technical high school in order to be eligible for a 571 visa?

To meet the academic qualifications requirement of a 571 (Schools Sector) student visa, the applicant must demonstrate that they have completed the equivalent of Year 9 or higher.

To meet the English language waiver requirements however, the applicant must demonstrate that they have either:

a.Achieved a satisfactory result in an alternative English language test approved by DIMA and conducted under appropriate test conditions; or
b.A letter of admission into the academic stream in a senior secondary school in China and academic records demonstrating a result of at least 75% in English in the Certificate of Graduation from junior high school.

To meet the English language waiver requirements, applicants must also lodge through a waiver ready agent or obtain a letter in support of the waiver from the education provider with which they intend to enrol.

5.Is there an age requirement for applicants for a 572 visa?

No. There is no age requirement for applicants for a 572 (Vocational Education and Training Sector) student visa. However, applicants for a 572 student visa must have completed year 12 or its equivalent and must meet the English language and financial capacity requirements for the grant of the visa.

6.What are the educational qualifications that a student must demonstrate to be eligible for a student 573 visa? Is technical high school OK?

One of the eligibility criteria that a student must meet to be eligible for a 573 (Higher Education Sector) student visa goes to their educational qualifications. A student must demonstrate that they have:

a.Completed Year 12 or equivalent; or
b.Completed Year 11 or its equivalent and a Foundation Course conducted in Australia; or
c.Completed Year 11 or its equivalent and has a certificate of enrolment in a Foundation Course to be completed in Australia before commencing the principal course; or
d.Completed a Certificate IV or higher level qualification on the Australian Qualifications Framework in Australia; or
e.Has a certificate of enrolment in a Certificate IV or higher level qualification on the Australian Qualifications Framework to be completed in Australia prior to commencing the principal course.

If demonstrating year 12 or equivalent or year 11 or equivalent, results from a technical high school are acceptable.

7.What are the English language requirements that an applicant must meet to be eligible for a 573 visa?

One of the eligibility criteria that a student must meet to be eligible for a 573 (Higher Education Sector) student visa goes to their English language proficiency. To meet the English language requirements for a 573 visa, an applicant must demonstrate that they have:

a.Achieved a score of at least 6.0 in an IELTS test taken less than 2 years before the date of application; or
b.Achieved a score of at least 5.5 in an IELTS test taken less than 2 years before the date of application and has enrolled in a Foundation course in Australia to be taken before commencing the principal course; or
c.Achieved a score of at least 5.0 in an IELTS test taken less than 2 years before the date of application and will undertake an ELICOS course of no more than 30 weeks duration prior to commencing the principal course; or
d.The applicant is fully funded and has a level of English language proficiency that satisfies their education provider and if taking preliminary ELICOS, the ELICOS course will be no more than 30 weeks duration (fully funded means the applicant will be sponsored in full by a multilateral agency, the Government of their home country or by the Australian Government or an Australian State or Territory Government); or
e.The applicant has successfully completed a Senior Secondary Certificate of Education in Australia in English less than 2 years before the date of application; or
f.The applicant holds a student visa, is applying in Australia and has successfully completed a substantial part of a course conducted in English and leading to a qualification in the Australian Qualifications Framework at the Certificate IV level or higher; or
g.The applicant has successfully completed a Foundation Course that was conducted in Australia in English; or
h.The applicant has a level of English language proficiency that satisfies their proposed education provider and has studied in English for at least 5 years in one or more of the following countries: Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, Ireland, the United Kingdom or the USA.

8.Can dependents apply through eVisa?

All dependents should be declared in the primary applicant’s initial eVisa application regardless of whether they intend to travel to Australia with the student. Dependents can apply for a student visa online if they are applying at the same time as the primary applicant. If they chose to apply separately however, they must lodge their application via paper (form 157A).

9.Do education providers in Australia have to report students to DIMA for non-attendance? If so how? Will this change in the future?

Yes. Where a student fails to maintain attendance in 80% of their course contact hours, the education provider must issue the student with a notice under section 20 of the Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000 (the ESOS Act). This notice is generated through the Provider Registration and International Student Management System (PRISMS) which also sends and electronic Non-Compliance Notice to DIMA for investigation.

The Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST) is currently conducting an evaluation of the ESOS Act. DIMA is working with DEST to develop a more flexible model for monitoring and student attendance that will allow education providers to take academic performance into consideration before reporting a student for non-attendance.

10.Currently students can only apply to DIMA to change provider within the first 12 months of their principle course under exceptional circumstances, will this be changing?

It is a condition of a student visa that the holder must not change from one education provider to another within the first 12 months of their principal course unless exceptional circumstances apply. If a student wishes to change providers within the first 12 months of their principal course they must apply to DIMA, providing a letter of release from their current education provider and an explanation of the exceptional circumstances that apply.

The Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST) is currently conducting an evaluation of the Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000 (the ESOS Act). DIMA is working with DEST to develop a more streamlined approach to approving student requests to change provider within the first 12 months of their principal course. This may involve self-regulation by education providers with DEST acting as an appeals mechanism.