The Monash Graduate Association (MGA) recognises that a significant proportion of international students will be affected by the changes the Australian Government is proposing to its migration and visa system (refer to page 68). Many of the reforms presented in the migration strategy are designed to bolster the economy, address the skills shortage & reduce migrant worker exploitation.
Despite this, certain commitments outlined in the migration strategy will negatively impact international students. Proposed & ongoing changes include increasing the English language requirement for Student & Temporary Graduate Visa (TGV), reducing the maximum eligible age for the TGV from 50 to 35 years and shortening the duration of work rights granted by the TGV.
In response to this, postgraduate student associations & representatives across Australia are mobilising to combat these changes. The MGA is actively contributing to the efforts through the following measures:
- The formation of a working group to analyse how the recommendations in the migration strategy impacts international students and the existing evidence to support our lobbying.
- Collective lobbying with the Go8 postgraduate associations to government officials against certain recommendations.
- Representation at University committees and collaboration with Monash management.
MAY 2024 - Response letter from Clare O'Neil MP, Minister for Home Affairs
MAY 2024 - Letter to Monash Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sharon Pickering
MARCH 2024 - MGA Report: Reviewing the Detrimental Impact to Australia's Future of the Federal Government's Migration Strategy
FEBRUARY 2024 - Letter to Clare O’Neil MP, Minister for Home Affairs
FEBRUARY 2024 - Letter to Andrew Giles MP, Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs
! Update as of 28 May, 2024 !
On Monday, 27 May 2024, the Federal Government updated its website announcing new exemptions for research degree graduates from the proposed new age limit. Their statement reads:
The maximum eligible age for Post-Higher Education Work stream applicants will reduce to 35 years of age or under at the time of application. Masters (research) and doctoral degree (PhD) graduates and Hong Kong and British National Overseas passport holders will still be eligible if they are under 50 years of age.
The MGA welcomes these changes and would like to acknowledge and thank all of our students and representatives who took the time to share their stories, contribute to internal efforts and write to local MPs. The exemption from the age limit for research degree graduates marks a major triumph for currently enrolled graduate research students at Monash.
While this may come as good news to some, we recognise that the battle is not yet over. We have worked collaboratively with Monash University to achieve a case-by-case early release of Semester 1 results for graduate coursework students due to complete their degrees next month.
The MGA will continue to lobby just as fervently on behalf of our graduate coursework students with a view to achieving a similar outcome for this cohort.
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