Deportation fear engulfs foreign nurses in Australia

Australia, 11th August: A large number of international migrants in Australia employed as student nurses are facing imminent deportation to their native nations on expiry of their Australian visas due to the new requirements of English language have been introduced.

The minimum standards for English language have been raised by the Nursing and Midwifery Board established recently. This is likely to affect a large number of aspiring student nurses hailing from different nations including India to get registered if they do not meet the minimum language requirements set up by the board.

Meanwhile, the newly established Nursing and Midwifery Board has maintained that the level of the English language test has been set at a level so as to make sure that all midwives and nurses possess proficiency in spoken English as well as written English while communicating with their patients and with various professionals in healthcare.

Moreover, the sole aim of the board is to offer protection of the public of Australia, adds the board.

As per new rules by DIAC, the Australian immigration department, foreign migrants in Australia will now be required to get a minimum score of 6.5 to 7 in the IELTS.

The changes in the rules came into effect from 1st July 2010 onwards but this has not been communicated to the recently graduating nurse students or those likely to graduate this year, the foreign students in Australia pursuing nursing courses have lamented.

All such students had come to Australia on Australian student visas.

Foreign migrants whose Australian visas are likely to expire shortly will have to apply again for seeking migration. It may be mentioned that many foreign migrant nurses already have offers of job in Australia from elderly care homes and hospitals in the nation.

Lisa Fitzpatrick, branch secretary of the ANF(Australian Nursing Federation), has criticized the new rules of Australian immigration department. 

She said that several of the foreign students in Australia will have to face financial difficulties since they have to pay back their loans.

Apart from India, students from countries including Philippines, China and Thailand come to Australia on student visas to work as nurses in Australia after successful completion of their graduation in nursing from Australian colleges.