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Melbourne: After two
years of tumbling fortunes, the tide seems to be turning in favour
of Australian universities, as more and more Indian students are
opting to study Down Under.
The Australian Immigration Department has recorded a 21 percent
rise in student visa applications from India in the first six
months this year.
Over 3,700 Indian students have applied for Australian visa in
2011, The Age reported.
Education providers down under experienced troubled times after
Indian students dumped Australia following a spate of assaults on
South Asian students in Melbourne and Sydney.
Aggressive coverage by Indian media pushed even bilateral
relations, besides student enrolments, into a downward spiral.
Matters turned worse for Australian universities and vocational
colleges, as plummeting numbers coincided with the Australian
government making immigration laws more stringent.
With Australia once again relaxing the visa regulations from April
1 this year and a significant drop in assaults on international
students, more and more Indian students are anticipated to opt for
Australia.
"The number of student visa applications is rebounding, that
category is up significantly," the newspaper quoted Peter
Speldewinde, assistant secretary in the Department of Immigration
and Citizenship, as saying.
"People are generally positive about Australia," said Speldewinde,
adding: "The student issue has come up from time to time, but no
one's really pushed it very hard."
The Australian government is reportedly advertising in Indian
media to attract Indian professionals to settle in Australia.
India is the third-largest provider of permanent skilled migrants
to Australia. Over 15,000 Indians decided to make Australia their
home last fiscal. Only China and Britain provide more skilled
migrants to the Australian economy.
(Paritosh Parasher can be contacted at paritoshparasher@yahoo.com)
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