International students in Australia could be marooned by abolition of ‘457 visa’
Students who entered Australia before November 2011 left with limited post-study work options given they are not eligible for 485 temporary graduate visas either
Australia’s abolition of skilled work visas could unfairly affect international students who have spent years studying with the intent to work in the country, say advocates and students.
Students who entered the country before November 2011 could be left marooned by the sudden changes the so-called “457 visa” without a valid avenue to work in Australia.
Most international students rely on 485 Temporary graduate visas to commence work in Australia after their degrees, but applicants under the visa’s unskilled post-study work stream are ineligible for 485 visas if they entered the country before November 2011.
The largest number of international students come from China and India, with Chinese making up almost 30 per cent of all foreign students enrolled in Australia in 2016.
Dhaval Shukla, a spokesperson for international postgraduate students at the University of Sydney, said 457 was the lifeline for students who did not fall into other common visa categories such as the temporary graduate visa (485) or skilled visas (189 or 190).
