Foreign students facing long visa delays, raising university fears

Thousands of foreign students trying to apply for Australia visas are currently unable to due delays in biometric testing.

Thousands of foreign students trying to apply for Australian visas are facing long delays in receiving the necessary biometric tests, potentially denying the ­nation’s universities much-needed enrolments.

Australia’s international student sector is fearful that delays in Hong Kong, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore and Vietnam in biometric tests — the taking of fingerprint and on-the-spot photographs — will see students opt instead for Canadian and British universities.

With the nation’s universities in desperate need of more foreign students to fill a $16bn funding hole left by lost international education revenue during the COVID-19 pandemic, the sector is demanding the immediate rectification of the delays.

A Department of Home Affairs spokeswoman said there had been delays but the department was aiming to have ser­vices up and running within two weeks. “The department’s contracted offshore Service Delivery Partners are dealing with a dynamically changing situation in many countries,” she said.

“We expect services in most biometric collection locations, including Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia, to recommence on or before Monday November 2. The department is allowing additional time for student visa applicants to provide biometrics where COVID-19 has disrupted access to services.

“In addition, the department has implemented a flexible approach to student visa conditions, such as online learning and the deferral of study, where COVID-19 and associated travel restrictions have prevented conditions being met.”

Foreign students hoping to come to Australia next year need a student visa even if they are to start studies online in their countries, and it is understood companies that conduct biometric tests for Australia are processing visas for competitor countries.

International Education Association president Phil Honeywood told The Australian the issue had to be fixed immediately, as student visas for Canada and Britain were being quickly processed. “It beggars belief our competitive countries Canada and the UK are able to conduct this biometric testing while Australia can’t,” he said on Tuesday.

“Allegedly the same companies we use are being used by the Canadians and the British. Serious questions need to be asked about what the hold-up is.

“Potentially thousands of students are being redirected to obtain student visas from any country other than Australia.”

More than 52,000 foreign students in Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam have Australia student visas in this country and offshore. Visa application delays in the latter three countries are particularly difficult for the international education sector as it tries to diversify its markets to make up for the China market, given Beijing has, for months, told its students to avoid Australia.

The Home Affairs spokeswoman said its website would be updated with reopening details for students waiting to get visa applications in.

The Australian understands biometric delays could also affect the arrival of 73 students due to arrive in the Northern Territory as part of a pilot program to return students safely.