Australian visas in demand by Hong Kong students

Hong Kong students were rushing to secure Australian visas even before they were offered “safe haven” last month.

Hong Kong pro-democracy activist Joshua Wong who was barred by authorities from standing in the September election for the Hong Kong legislative council.

Hong Kong students were rushing to secure Australian visas even before Scott Morrison offered them “safe haven” conditions following the Chinese government crackdown last month.

In the first half of this year the number of onshore student visa applications from Hong Kong citizens and their dependants jumped 39 per cent compared with last year, according to figures from the Department of Home Affairs. Onshore applications are from students or visitors who are already in Australia and applying for a student visa.

Even through prospective students from outside Australia cannot currently enter the country, student visa applications from Hong Kong citizens offshore were also strong compared with other countries.

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Offshore applications from Hongkongers were down only 19 per cent, the smallest percentage fall of all significant student source countries.

The Prime Minister’s announcement last month, following the proclamation of Hong Kong’s national security law, offered five-year post study work visas to up to 8200 Hong Kong students and an easier pathway to permanent residency.

Since his announcement anecdotal evidence suggests there has been an even greater rush of interest from Hong Kong students in studying in Australia, where universities are competing with other countries, particularly Britain and Canada, to attract international students when numbers rise again post-COVID.

“This latest data verifies the anecdotal evidence that Hong Kong students are voting with their feet to find a safe haven,” said International Education Association of Australia chief executive Phil Honeywood. “Time will tell whether competitor study destination countries, particularly the UK and Canada, are more successful in providing meaningful incentives for these young people.”

However, last week Canada tightened its entry requirements for international students. Previously it was allowing students who had a visa issued prior to March 18 to sidestep the travel ban and enter Canada. But a new ruling issued last week allows Canadian border officers to refuse entry to students if they can study online from their home country.

International students cannot currently enter Australia because of COVID-19 travel bans and plans for “secure corridors” to allow limited numbers of students to enter under strict rules for testing and quarantine are on hold following the renewed outbreak of coronavirus in Victoria.

Offshore visa lodgements, which are worst affected by the travel ban, have collapsed since March when entry to Australia was halted. The biggest percentage falls are in students from India, Nepal, Brazil, Sri Lanka, the US and Vietnam.