Increase in Australian student visas for Latin American students

Australia, 27th August: Australian universities are looking to increase Australian student visas for students from Latin America after seeing a tremendous response by the English language schools and vocational colleges in Australia in the past six years.

Latin American students are likely to be allured to pursue graduate and undergraduate degree courses in Australian universities.

There has been noteworthy increase in the number of Latin American students enrolling themselves in Australia. As per the official figures, the number of Latin American student enrolments have went up to 34,000 from the meager figures of 7,000 in the year 2004.

And this success in terms of increased Latin American students is being attributed to ease of Australian student visa norms by Australian immigration department. Also, the role of aggressive outreach towards the students in Latin America cannot be downplayed, recruiters and various academics feel.

There is a feeling among the recruiters that the Bush administration’s unpopularity has paved the way making the students in America search for education opportunities abroad.

Students hailing from Latin America are able to make a smooth transition to the Australian way of life and Australian culture, feels Sandra Meiras, the director of office of deputy VC(Vice Chancellor) for international services, University of Sydney. And Latin American students also prove to be quality students providing perfect classroom diversity.

Australia initiated the first step towards recruitment way back in the year 2004 with the opening of the first office by Australian Education International in Chile (Santiago). Australian Education International happens to be a government body formulated for promotion of higher education abroad.

Several educational exhibitions were held to allure and attract Latin American students to study in Australia. In addition, academic collaborations in postgraduate research were held to invite students from Latin America to enroll them in Australia.

And the direct airlines service from Chile to Australia also proved a boon for students to opt for studying in Australia, feels a former counselor for Australia Education International, South America, Tony Crooks.

Crooks, who currently is the head of Blue Yonder-Global Education Strategies, said that the risk among Latin American students overstaying their Australian student visas is quite low.