IDP Education Pty Ltd (IDP), which is the largest recruiter for students in Australia, has confirmed that affirmed that the quantity of Indian students has fallen by a huge margin, and the fall is highly noticeable. Last year, 8600 Indians got Student Visas while this year, the figure is almost nil in accordance with the same. Just a small figure of 200 marked its entry when we talk about Indian student visas given to applicants. The figures are made available by the Australia’s High Commissioner Peter Verghese, who regards this scenario as an alarming condition for Australian immigration.

The fall clearly shows the affect of racial attacks and other occurrences which happened in the recent times. Others believe that rigidifying the visa regulations for Australian immigration has further made the situation worse for the prospective applicants. Overseas applicants, especially Indians are feeling reluctant to choose the “Land of Kangaroos” as their next immigration destination.

Critics believe that the amendments in the Australian immigration system were made without acquainting the industry before and hence not giving them ample time to adjust in accordance with the scenario.

He warned that amendments done to the visa regulations and priority skills were being implemented without giving the industry ample span to cope with them. As per the Australian, it has been stated that the drop is expected to fall by a huge margin in the coming year too. It would further affect the Australian economy in a major way.

Despite screaming headlines about the violence against the international students in Australia, as well as the country’s low quality courses few months back, Australia has been rated safer for study, as compared to the UK and the US. But, as far as the quality of education is concerned, it is accepted that Australia lags far behind the UK and the US.

There are certain factors that international students are being attracted to Australia. According to Monash University academic Bob Birrell, Indian students consider Australia as one of their prime study destinations because they expect to get permanent residency easily. Molly Yang, a student of Central Queensland University said that many of the students in her 2007 batch opted to migrate to Australia, because they all had the same thing in mind, which is future migration.

Indian and Chinese students account for a large percentage of the higher education international enrollments. According to Australian Education International, in May 2008 to May 2009 session, Australia saw an increase of 31 percent in the number of Chinese students getting enrolled in higher education courses. But, the reason behind the flow of international students to Australia is different from the reason as to why students go to the US and Britain for study purpose.

According to a report from London-based Observatory on Borderless Higher Education, the quality of education available in the UK and the US has always been the prime factor that international students migrate to these two destinations for education. A report from the IDP Education, an international recruitment agency said that some 5000 plus students from eight countries also rated Australia behind the UK and the US where the quality of education is concerned.

Thus, overseas students find Australia safer, but do not find it as good as the UK and US when it comes to the quality of education. On the same note, the reputation of Australian universities is also faltering. In 2009, only nine Australian universities made it to the Times Higher Education Supplement’s top 200 list of world universities, as compared to the fourteen universities in 2004. The worst thing is that RMIT and Curtin University which were formerly in the top 100 are nowhere in the top 200 list this year. In 2004 rankings, there were two Australian universities in the top 25, but this year only the Australia National University could make it to the top 25.

It is also found that Australian universities make it easier for international students to get entry to courses with relatively low English scores. Besides, the fact that Australian universities employing overseas recruitment agents (many offering advise about migration) also brings about another controversy that these universities are “offering fast track to residency, not a quality education.”

In a recent report by Hindustan Times, one of the leading dailies of India, the current ongoing series of racial attacks in Oz might lead to a 50 per cent drop in Indian students in the next academic session, stated an International Educational Recruiter.

According to Tony Pollock, who is IDP Education chief executive, “they are expecting a 50 per cent drop in the number Indian students coming to Oz for the session of February 2010. The survey was conducted on more than six thousand students from different countries. He elaborated that the main reasons behind the fall might be the safety issues felt by the Indian students as well as the global financial crisis faced by the whole world.
The crisis has affected Indians families which is apparent by the fact that the number of applications are falling at a gradual pace.

The survey was conducted to know Australia’s reputation as the safest destination to study and work and to everyone’s surprise, the result showed a promising outcome. Therefore, there is no need to rush, panic or agitate as Australia is still one of the safest destinations to weave your future! Hire an Immigration Expert today!