This post reflects the legal landscape as of the date of publication. Laws may have changed since then. Please consult a legal professional for current information and personalised advice.

When applying for a student visa, it is necessary to show that your intentions for coming to or staying are genuinely to study. Often, the more Australian visas you’ve had before your student visa application, the harder it is to prove you’re looking to study as opposed to just extending your time in Australia. Just because you have an extensive visa history doesn’t mean it won’t be granted, it depends on how the visa is lodged and what evidence is provided.

Case Study: Successful VET Student Visa Granted After 7 (Seven) Previous Visas And 10 (Ten) Years In The Country Colombian Passport

When our client approached us in search of another visa, he had already previously been granted 7 visas in Australia. He had completed a number of VET courses as a student, received a graduate visa and been sponsored by 3 different employers. These consecutive visas had allowed him to remain in the country for more than 10 years, studying at 4 VET institutions. He had lost his job, and was unable to find a new sponsor, his visa was at risk of cancellation. Applying for another student visa was his only option – though his visa history would make it tough to demonstrate his genuine intention.

Our team was able to present a strong case to the Department – one which was never questioned for its genuineness, and his student visa was subsequently granted without any no further stay conditions.

To ensure the success of our applications, we do not use a template answer for your genuine position statement – we tailor everything to your specific circumstances to ensure we are able put forward the strong possible application. We can never guarantee the success of any application but with our track record of success we can give very accurate estimates.

The best part? We are now helping him with a permanent residency application, stay tuned for what should be another success story.

Student agencies can help you select which course to study but we must not forget, they are not a charity service and they may have an incentive to recommend some courses over others. Just like in any industry some are better than others.

So, that bares the question, how do you know which agent to choose and if they are giving you the best advice for you? If you are looking for a different course or a different price than an agent has already given you then it might be that you are approaching your search in the wrong way. At the end of the day there are only a finite amount of courses that are on offer and if you are searching for a course that doesn’t exist, you are going to be wasting your time and your education agent’s time. We suggest when choosing an agent, that you make sure they have your future in mind.
Ask yourself and your agent, not just which course is the cheapest and will give me the most free time but instead:

• What visa options will I have after this course?
• How will this course help me find a job?
• What is the reputation of the course provider?
• Will this course suit my career goals or just my visa goals?

If these points do not come up then perhaps you are at the wrong place! Our pet peeve in the industry is when education agents sign up a boyfriend and a girlfriend for one course each when actually they may be eligible to be added to each other’s visa. So remember only a registered migration agent can provide you migration advice so if you are choosing a course with future visa goals in mind, don’t waste your time and money, seek advice from a registered migration agent, not a friend or an education agent.

When considering what course to study we know people care about time, money and visa prospects.

Here are some courses that I think tick all the boxes:

Course: Master of Social Work Studies

Duration: 1.5 years

Future Occupation: Social Worker

Cost: $38,500 at University of Queensland

Visa options: If you have 7 in each category of IELTS and 60 points, for as long as this occupation remains on the list this is a great way to earn PR. If you need longer to get your English score we can add a 6 month Diploma after this course so you can qualify for the 485 visa.

Course: Graduate Diploma of Land Surveying

Duration: 1 year

Future Occupation: Surveyor

Cost: $23k at University of Tasmania but if you don’t have a surveying background you’ll need to do the Bachelor at about $75k

Visa options: If you can achieve 60 points and if the occupation stays on the list, finishing this course will earn you your skills assessment which is often the hardest thing for PR visas. Also, if you are interested in the 190 PR visa studying in Tasmania for a year can earn you another 5 points!

Course: Associate Degree in Civil Engineering

Duration: 2 years

Future Occupation: Civil Engineering Draftsperson

Cost: 34k at TAFE QLD

Visa options: 485 visa can be granted after you finish your studies which can earn you time to get more points for permanent migration. If you have worked as a civil engineering draftsperson for 3 years before you finished this course you may be eligible to apply for PR as soon as you finish your course otherwise you need 1 year of post qualification experience.

Course: Master of Health Science (Osteopathy) / Master of Osteopathic Medicine

Duration: 2 years

Future Occupation: Osteopath (similar to a physiotherapist)

Cost: +- 54k

Institutions: Victoria University – Melbourne or Southern Cross University – Lismore (regional study means more points towards PR)

Visa options:  485 visa can be granted after you finish your studies which can earn you time to get more points for permanent migration but you may not need it as completing one of these approved courses is sufficient for a skills assessment as long as you have 7 in each category for academic IELTS.

Course: Master of Teaching (Secondary)

Duration: 2 years

Future Occupation: High School Teacher

Price: 33.5k at Alphacrucis College Limited – Paramatta Sydney

Visa options: 485 visa can be granted after you finish your studies which can earn you time to get more points for permanent migration but you may not need it as long as you have done at least 45 days of prac with your course. The College should organise this for you but you should double check. There is a high English language requirement for this occupation. There is also a 1.5 year Master Degree offered with Griffith University.

Course: Bachelor of Nursing

Duration: 3 years

Future Occupation: Registered Nurse

Price: 51k at Avondale College Limited – Wahroonga – near Sydney, Lake Macquarie – near Newcastle

Visa options: 485 visa can be granted after you finish your studies which can earn you time to get more points for permanent migration but you may not need it. You need academic IELTS 7 for registration as a nurse.

Course: Master of Construction management

Duration: 1.5 years

Future Occupation: Quantity Surveyor

Price: 39k at Deakin Univserity Melbourne

Visa options: For as long as this occupation stays on the list, if you can earn 60 points and 6 in each category in IELTS this course could be your pathway to PR.

Of course there are many other courses and you need to pick what will fulfil your passion but consider getting some advice from a migration agent first. If you choose the wrong education agent they might push a course on you because of commission they will receive but in terms of migration some courses definitely are more useful than others.

Also, I must emphasise that PR often comes down to how good your English language skills are, make sure you make friends with people who speak English and not just your mother tongue.

This opinion is not tailored to your personal circumstances and is based on the skilled occupation list as it is in March 2017, no one knows what changes there will be to the skilled lists and visa programs in the future. Prices and course information has been obtained from CRICOS website.