Key Points
- Longer stay for Indian international students under new post-study work rights arrangements.
- Australia to extend access to the Work and Holiday (subclass 462) visa to up to 1,000 Indian citizens each year.
- Australia-India Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement to enter into force on December 29, 2022.
The Australia-India Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (AI-ECTA) includes mobility and immigration outcomes for people of the two democracies, marking a major step towards consummating their economic relationship.
Post-study work rights for Indian graduates:
Under the pact, Australia will provide post-study work rights for international students, who will be able to live, study and work here for a longer period after the completion of their studies.
- Indian students will be able to stay up to 18 months upon completion of a diploma or trade qualification
- Up to two years after completion of bachelor’s degree
- Up to three years after the master’s degree
- Up to four years after a doctoral degree
In addition, Indian students graduating with First Class Honours bachelor’s degrees in Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics (STEM) and Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sectors will be eligible for a total of three years stay on post-study visas, rather than the current two years.
In response to SBS Punjabi's query with regards to the timeline for the implementation of the proposed post-study work rights arrangements, a spokesperson for the Department of Home Affairs said the timing for the changes will be announced in due course.
"A Working Group was established of key stakeholders and a report on recommended degrees for inclusion in the measure is currently under consideration by the government.
"Changes to post-study work rights to support the Ai- ECTA will be made to align with changes announced at the Jobs and Skills Summit," the spokesperson said in a statement.
Tejwinder Singh Chawla, an Indian post-graduate who is pursuing engineering from a Sydney-based university said this is a ‘historic’ agreement for Indian international students, but it comes with a caveat.
“While the arrangements, when they come into force, will allow students to stay and work here for longer periods, it also takes a lot of years from their lives which they can otherwise utilise towards getting permanent residency.
“For instance, I spent four years in India to complete my bachelor’s degree, and then another three years for the completion of my master’s degree in Sydney. So, if I end up staying here for another three years as part of the new arrangements, this equates to nearly six years of my life down under, but only as a temporary migrant,” Mr Chawla commented.
International Education Association of Australia CEO Phil Honeywood. Credit: IEAA
Commenting on the post-study work rights commitment promised as part of AI-ECTA, Mr Honeywood said the Albanese government intends to ensure that international students who graduate in Australia can stay here longer and use the skills they have gained to help fill some of the chronic skills shortages the country is facing in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, he added that the next big challenge is to provide these overseas students with “meaningful migration pathways.”
“If they get to be coming here for almost a decade say by the time they complete their four years of study plus a six-year post-study work rights visa then that’s ten years of their life for a young age. So, we should be looking at migration pathways for them,” Mr Honeywood said.
Work and Holiday visas for Indian visitors:
As part of newer commitments coming into action under AI-ECTA, the Australian government will also provide India with a place in its Work and Holiday program for the first time.
The visa arrangement with India was announced on 2 April 2022.
The DHA spokesperson stated that the proposed arrangement will be put in place within two years of the ECTA’s entry into force.
Under ECTA, 1,000 Indian citizens between the ages of 18 and 30 will get Work and Holiday (subclass 462) visas annually for 12 months. Source: Getty / pixdeluxe/Getty Images
-Applicants hold a valid Indian passport
-They are offshore at the time of lodgement and grant of the visa
-Lodgement through online applications
-Have a functional level of English proficiency
- Have successfully completed at least two (2) years of post-secondary study; and
-Meet health and character requirements as specified by Australian law
-Applicants must not be accompanied by dependent children
-Pay the visa application charge and have sufficient funds for the purposes of work and holiday in Australia, and to depart the country
Mr Honeywood said the additional work holiday visa holders from India are expected to contribute to certain sectors, including farming and hospitality, but unlike student visa holders, backpackers do not provide Australia with fundamental skills that are needed to address long-term skill needs.
“Yes, working holiday visas have a role to play but they are temporary by nature.”
The Work and Holiday Visa is currently available to applicants from 26 countries, including China and US.
Migration agent Jujhar Bajwa told SBS Punjabi that while the government hasn't implemented policy changes announced as part of the pact, there is massive interest in the Indian market.
"We were flooded with calls from Indian aspirants keen to apply for the Work and Holiday Visa as soon as the news came out," he said.
"But since the 462 subclass has basic educational requirements and is temporary in nature, we anticipate that this pathway will be more suited for applicants from Indian states with a higher literacy rate," Mr Bajwa added.
Opportunities for Indian chefs and yoga instructors:
ECTA to open new doors for qualified chefs and yoga instructors from India.
"Under the Australia-India Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement, temporary entry and temporary stay shall also be granted for up to a combined total of 1,800 per year of qualified, professional Indian traditional chefs and yoga instructors entering as Contractual Service Suppliers of India," the DHA spokesperson said.
But while Australia has agreed to provide India with new mobility outcomes under the pact, it does not include a waiver of labour market testing.
Current sponsorship requirements for employers who want to hire overseas workers will also remain after ECTA enters into force.
Other improved prospects for the education and professional sectors:
In a huge leap to promote two-way mobility, Australia and India have also agreed to introduce a framework for mutual recognition of qualifications, licensing and registration procedures between professional services bodies, allowing professionals from both countries to be recognised seamlessly at their work destinations.
Up until now, professionals have had to go through various approval processes and sit for tests to practise in each other’s countries.
This framework is expected to be implemented in 2023.
