Onshore student visa policy gets relatively little attention as it deals with people who are already in Australia, but it is critical to how the overseas student program operates.

The new migration strategy released late last year says the Government will:

“restrict onshore visa hopping that undermines system integrity and drives ‘permanent temporariness’…the Government will apply additional scrutiny to international students applying for another student visa.”

The strategy goes onto highlight how the biggest growth in student visa hopping is in the VET sector:

“where there is a lower likelihood of a credible course progression. However, in 2022–23 almost 69,000 students granted a subsequent student visa in Australia have stayed in, or shifted into, studying in VET, compared to 42,000 students pre-pandemic in 2018–19. Using the new Genuine Student test, the Government will require any eligible students applying inside Australia to provide evidence in their application to demonstrate that any subsequent course is furthering their career or academic aspirations, such as undertaking a practical VET course to complement their degree, or undertaking research to gain a master’s qualification in their field of expertise. Prospective international students who cannot demonstrate this sensible course progression from their initial course of study will not meet the Genuine Student test.”

This is a fine ambition but much easier said than done, particularly as onshore applicants have appeal rights and the new ‘genuine student test’ will........

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