Name: CHAN, Sin Fong
Subject: Why are teaching institutions booming with overseas students?
Visit Time: 14/11/2006 3:04 AM
Remark:
If you visit some public and private institutions, you soon find that many overseas students come to study in courses, which they can score maximum points for application to remain in Australia after their studies.
When I.T. dropped out of favour for maximum point score 2 years ago, the accounting intake skyrocketed. Surfing through DIMIA website, you will be able to find out which other courses will score you the maximum points. The top three popular ones other than accounting are hairdressing, hospitality and childcare. Overseas students flocked to those courses, and upon completion of their studies, some will return to their own countries, but many will get in touch with migration lawyers to apply for permanent residency.
Once permanent residency is granted, many will find employment in other fields. The reason why there is shortage of workers in the abovementioned industries is due to the fact that they are poorly paid, particularly in hospitality, many workers don't see daylight in the kitchens, and they have to feed / serve the customers at the time when they are hungry as well.
Not all overseas students come from well-to-do families. They work to support their fees, accommodation, food and other expenses. It costs an overseas student about A$30,000 to $40,000 per annum to stay in Australia. A student is permitted to work 20 hours per week during school term, but many students work more than the maximum hours permitted. Unfortunately, many have been exploited, working in restaurants or workplaces at $6 an hour. They are underpaid in cash, not covered by WorkCover, and if accidents were to happen, the students will suffer in silence, because they have no one to turn to.
An overseas student pays about 10 times as much as an Australian student in course fee per hour. There is why education is such a lucrative industry for Australia. Some private institutions are very poorly equipped, and the "school" or "college" may be just a leased property with three "classrooms" with no other facilities. Some institutions cater mainly for overseas students, and when you are in such a building, you probably think that you are in a foreign country - all but English is spoken. Take a stroll in Melbourne CBD during the weekend after 1 p.m. and you will realise that I am not telling fibs.
Many colleges also involve in very unscrupulous practices. Overseas students arriving in Australia thinking that they would complete their course on certain date, may have to enrol in another course temporarily for another semester or longer if the prescribed class does not have enough student enrolment. The options open to the students are either to return home until the class commences, or hang round attending another bridging course - the devil and the deep blue sea. The students are not compensated, and cannot enrol in another college, because the visa condition stipulates that they are not allowed to change course provider during the first 12 months.
Kumar referred in your 13/11/2006 report is just one unethical practitioner. If your program digs deeper, it will make your blood boiled!
If you visit some public and private institutions, you soon find that many overseas students come to study in courses, which they can score maximum points for application to remain in Australia after their studies.
When I.T. dropped out of favour for maximum point score 2 years ago, the accounting intake skyrocketed. Surfing through DIMIA website, you will be able to find out which other courses will score you the maximum points. The top three popular ones other than accounting are hairdressing, hospitality and childcare. Overseas students flocked to those courses, and upon completion of their studies, some will return to their own countries, but many will get in touch with migration lawyers to apply for permanent residency.
Once permanent residency is granted, many will find employment in other fields. The reason why there is shortage of workers in the abovementioned industries is due to the fact that they are poorly paid, particularly in hospitality, many workers don't see daylight in the kitchens, and they have to feed / serve the customers at the time when they are hungry as well.
Not all overseas students come from well-to-do families. They work to support their fees, accommodation, food and other expenses. It costs an overseas student about A$30,000 to $40,000 per annum to stay in Australia. A student is permitted to work 20 hours per week during school term, but many students work more than the maximum hours permitted. Unfortunately, many have been exploited, working in restaurants or workplaces at $6 an hour. They are underpaid in cash, not covered by WorkCover, and if accidents were to happen, the students will suffer in silence, because they have no one to turn to.
An overseas student pays about 10 times as much as an Australian student in course fee per hour. There is why education is such a lucrative industry for Australia. Some private institutions are very poorly equipped, and the "school" or "college" may be just a leased property with three "classrooms" with no other facilities. Some institutions cater mainly for overseas students, and when you are in such a building, you probably think that you are in a foreign country - all but English is spoken. Take a stroll in Melbourne CBD during the weekend after 1 p.m. and you will realise that I am not telling fibs.
Many colleges also involve in very unscrupulous practices. Overseas students arriving in Australia thinking that they would complete their course on certain date, may have to enrol in another course temporarily for another semester or longer if the prescribed class does not have enough student enrolment. The options open to the students are either to return home until the class commences, or hang round attending another bridging course - the devil and the deep blue sea. The students are not compensated, and cannot enrol in another college, because the visa condition stipulates that they are not allowed to change course provider during the first 12 months.
Kumar referred in your 13/11/2006 report is just one unethical practitioner. If your program digs deeper, it will make your blood boiled!
