Recent changes to Australian student visas

The Australian Government’s Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP) made a number of changes to student visas and skilled migration in 2012. These changes were made in response to the Knight review, an investigation commissioned by the government with the aim of finding ways to make study in Australia easier for international students. The changes will affect all students applying for visas from 2012 onwards. For a complete list of changes, see Implementation of the Government Reponse to the Knight Review of the Student Visa Program. 

Reduction of student visa assessment levels
DBP reduced the student visa assessment levels for 29 countries in order to simplify student visa processing for applicants from these countries. Countries with updated visa assessment levels include Bulgaria, China, India, Indonesia, Mauritius, Nepal, the Philippines, South Korea and Turkey. Students from affected countries do not need to supply as much evidence when applying for their student visa, which may include evidence of academic qualifications, financial capacity and English language requirements. See DIBP's website for a full list of countries affected.

Changes to English language test requirements
DIBP now allows student visa applicants who need to supply evidence of their English language proficiency to submit results from the Test of English as a Foreign Language internet-based test (TOEFL iBT), the Pearson Test of English (PTE) Academic and the Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE) test. Previously, DIBP only accepted IELTS results.

Streamlined visa processing
Student visa applicants who lodge their applications with a Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) from a participating university in Australia at bachelor, masters or doctoral degree level will be assessed in a streamlined manner (similarly to the Assessment Level 1), regardless of their country of origin. As a result, they will not have to supply as much evidence to support their visa application. The government has also discontinued the pre-visa assessment (PVA) policy, which required student visa applicants from Assessment Levels 3 and 4 to undergo an assessment before accepting their offer and applying for a student visa.

Changes to student visa charges
The student visa application charge of AUD $565 has been reduced to $535. Fees do not apply to students sponsored under Commonwealth-approved programs, secondary school exchange students or students affected by the closure of their education provider.

Changes to employment restrictions
Before March 2012, international students were able to work up to a maximum of 20 hours per week. This has been changed to a more flexible 40 hours per fortnight, meaning students can work 15 hours one week and 25 hours the following week, rather than strictly 20 hours per week. Students can begin work once they have commenced a course of study, and employment restrictions only apply when their course is in session (students may work unlimited hours during semester breaks). Work limits do not apply to students completing a masters or doctoral degree. See Flexible Working Conditions for more information.

More leniency in visa cancellation
The government plans to abolish the policy that sees student visas automatically cancelled for unsatisfactory attendance, unsatisfactory progress and working in excess of the hours allowed. This change means that cases determining the cancellation of visas will be considered on an individual basis, resulting in a fairer outcome for international students.

Changes to living costs requirements
The living cost requirement for student visa applicants has risen from AUD$18,000 per year to AUD$18,610 per year to ensure that international students are financially prepared to move to Australia and that they will have access to sufficient funds during their stay. Students are required to show that they have access to sufficient funds before they are granted a student visa. Prepaid homestay fees may now be included in the financial requirements assessment for a student visa. The financial requirements for Assessment Level 3 and 4 student visa applicants have been reduced — these applicants now have to prove that they have access to AUD$36,000 less than before.

Introduction of a post-study work visa
The Australian Government introduced a post-study work visa in 2013, which allows international students completing an Australian bachelor, masters or doctoral degree to remain in Australia to gain work experience after they graduate. Graduates of bachelor and masters by coursework degrees can apply for a two-year work visa at the completion of their degree, which increases to three years for masters by research graduates and four years for PhD graduates.

Changes to skilled migration
Three new points-tested skilled migration visa subclasses have been introduced: subclass 189 (skilled independent), subclass 190 (skilled nominated) and subclass 489 (skilled regional). These three subclasses combine the six existing skilled migration visa subclasses — 175, 176, 475, 885, 886 and 487. The Australian Government has also introduced a new skilled migration visa process — an online service called SkillSelect. SkillSelect enables skilled workers and graduates who want to migrate to Australia to lodge an Expression of Interest (EOI), replacing the previous system where intending migrants applied for a skilled migration visa. The EOI will contain information about skills and attributes, which will be assessed using a points test. Once an EOI is lodged, intending migrants may be nominated for a skilled visa by Australian employers or government departments, or may be invited to lodge a visa application. One of the main differences with SkillSelect is that the location requirements have been broadened, meaning that applicants may complete this process inside or outside Australia. The requirement of recent Australian study or work experience has also been removed, but still remains a part of the points test. For more information, refer to the SkillSelect section of the DIBP website.

Britain considers dramatic visa fee hike

London: The UK plans to significantly increase visa fees to plug a 50 million pound gap in its budget, a move that can hit Prime Minister David Cameron's efforts to boost student and business visits from countries like India.

The proposal for an across-the-board rise in visa fees is contained in a letter from a Home Office official circulated in the corridors of power in London, The Times reported today.

According to the newspaper, the move is aimed at plugging a 50-million pound hole in the Home Office budget and could mean a hike in visa fees by 4 per cent, more than double the rate of inflation.

The move could put the Home Office in a direct clash with Prime Minister David Cameron's efforts to boost student and business visits to Britain from countries like India and China.

Cameron has already announced premium fast-track visa services for elite travellers from these two fast developing countries as part of his trade drive.

The move comes weeks after Home Secretary Theresa May was forced to back down on compulsory 3,000 pound visa bonds for select countries, including India.

A Home Office spokesperson said: "Visa fees are increasing because we are reducing the cost of the immigration system to the taxpayer. Immigrants and visitors should contribute their fair share to the system.

"The Home Office - like the government overall - is performing well in cutting spending while protecting and improving services."

iPhone 6 could offer 50% faster LTE downloads than iPhone 5S

The iPhone 6 should feature a Qualcomm modem that would make LTE download speeds 50 per cent faster.

A fresh report states that the iPhone 6 will feature a Qualcomm MDM9625 modem, which would offer download speeds of 150 megabits per second. These speeds would provide 4G LTE download speeds 50 per cent faster than the current iPhone 5S.

The third-generation Qualcomm LTE chipset was originally announced back in February 2012 and could offer marked upgrades to the current iPhone cellular download speeds.

The iPhone 5S is capable of a maximum 100Mbps download speed.

Previously rumours had teased that the iPhone 6 may come with support for LTE Category 6, which could mean super-fast download speeds of up to 300Mbps. The latest report suggests that the iPhone 6 is limited to CAT 4 LTE compatibility.

However, it’s not such bad news for UK consumers. Currently CAT 6 LTE isn’t yet mainstream in countries outside of South Korea.

It would therefore make sense for Apple to opt for a slightly older chip with LTE Advanced support, which would be more widely compatible with global network providers.

The Qualcomm MDM9625 chip uses a 28-nanometer manufacturing process that not only boosts download speeds, but improves performance and power consumption in compared to the previous generation chips found in phones like the iPhone 5S.

Battery efficiency is supposedly a top priority for Apple with the iPhone 6. The new Apple A8 processor should introduce minor performance enhancements, but its main focus is to make the iPhone 6 more energy efficient.

Expected to launch on September 9, the iPhone 6 is tipped to come with a choice of 4.7- or 5.5-inch screen sizes. It should come with a refined design with rounded edges and a slimmer profile to boot.

Windows Phone HTC One M8 launched as Verizon exclusive

The Windows Phone HTC One M8 variant has been launched as a Verizon exclusive over in the US.

Following leaked press renders earlier today, the HTC One M8 for Windows Phone has been officially unveiled in the US.

As the name suggests, the HTC One M8 for Windows Phone is exactly the same handset, but it runs Windows Phone 8.1 rather than the usual Android KitKat.

It’s pretty much a game of spot the difference in terms of design. The aluminium uni-body design is there with its rounded features.

There’s just the Verizon branding and a small Windows Phone logo on the back to tell them apart with the screen off.

Inside the two HTC One M8 variants are also the same beast. You’ll get the 5-inch 1080p full HD display running on the 2.3GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor with 2GB of RAM.

All that is powered by a 2660mAh battery and you’ll also get Adreno 330 GPU graphics power. There’s the dual front-facing HTC BoomSound speakers and the dual lens 4-megapixel UltraPixel camera in the back. That is paired with a 5-megapixel front-facing camera.

Microsoft and HTC have worked together to ensure at least some of the UI experiences are the same across both models of the HTC One M8.

For example, the dual-camera’s UFocus features work with Windows Phone 8.1.1. You’ll get the trademark HTC Blinkfeed too, if you’re willing to install a separate app rather than have it integrated into the UI itself.

In the US, those looking to purchase the HTC One M8 for Windows Phone will have to head to Verizon. When it goes on sale on August 20 it will be offered at a promotional price of $99.99 on a two-year contract.

There’s no word on whether availability of this handset will extend to other carriers in the US or even to the UK and beyond.

UK police lobbying for passwords on all smartphones

The Metropolitan Police force has started lobbying for all smartphones to come with preset passwords.

For over two years, the Met has been asking phone manufacturers like Samsung and Apple to introduce mandatory passwords for all new smartphones.

The Met sees this as a way of tackling handset and identity theft from the get go, as users will then be encouraged to keep their phones password locked.

According to research carried out by the Met, up to 60 per cent of phones in the UK aren’t password locked, leaving them vulnerable to unsolicited access.

“We are trying to get [passwords] to be set as a default on new phones, so that when you purchase it you will physically have to switch the password off, rather than switch it on,” said DCI Bob Mahony speaking to The Register. “We have been talking to the industry and government. This is one of the main ideas among a range of measures we are trying to push to protect personal data. All the industry has been engaged at some level – and governments too.”

Phone manufacturers have offer increased options for phone security in recent years, with some opting to introduce fingerprint sensors for phone unlocking and mobile payments, such as with the iPhone 5S and Samsung Galaxy S5.

“Brits seem to be slacking on passcode protection on their phones-- only 44% of Brits use passcodes, whereas Germans are nearly twice as likely to employ protection (86% use passcodes) and in the US 56% report use of PINs or passcodes”, said Thomas Labarthe, European Managing Director of technology security firm Lookout.

Mahony added that mobile phones are being sold on a global market, with stolen devices ending up halfway across the world just days after being pinched.

“Phone theft needs to be tackled from multiple angles to really put a damper on the smartphone black market. The goal is to make it harder for the bad guys to profit from stealing phones. This measure to make passcode protection mandatory, adds friction into the process for the crook. When you remove the market incentive, you’ll see a drop off in device theft,” added Labarthe.