****************************************************
In a recent review by the Department of Immigration and Citizenship of Australian Government, students from Hong Kong were identified as showing improvement in immigration compliance. Arising from the review, Hong Kong's Assessment Levels will be improved from Level 2 to Level 1 in the Non-Award sector such as pre-university studies. Under the system, Level 1 represents the lowest immigration risk and Level 5 the highest. The Australian Government has accordingly reduced the visa evidentiary requirements for Hong Kong students in the sector to the lowest level.
The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, Sydney (HKETO) welcomes the positive developments in the way that Australian Government processes student visa applications for students from Hong Kong.
"As Assessment Level 1 was already accorded to visa applications for studies leading to qualification awards such as university bachelor degrees, the recent change means that the visa requirements for Hong Kong students across-the-board has been reduced to the lowest level," a spokesman for HKETO said today (September 20).
Arising from the improvement in the Assessment Level, all prospective students from Hong Kong will be able to lodge their initial student visa applications from outside Australia using the Department's student eVisa facility, a fast and convenient way of making applications via the internet.
They are also able to check the progress of their application online at any time and can be contacted via email as soon as their application is decided.
"These changes will further facilitate the entry of students from Hong Kong applying to study in Australia, and as a result will increase cultural links and academic exchanges between Hong Kong and Australia," the spokesman said.
In the 2007-08 program year, Australia granted over 278,000 student visas worldwide, including over 5,500 to students from Hong Kong.
The Assessment Level changes came into effect from September 1, 2008. Student visa applications lodged prior to this date but not finalised until after this date will be processed according to the previous Assessment Level.
Further details about Australian student visa application requirements and assessment levels are available from the website of the Department of Immigration And Citizenship, Australia ( http://www.immi.gov.au/students/).
Ends/Saturday, September 20, 2008
Issued at HKT 09:25
NNNN