In Australia, the state of New South Wales has stopped accepting students from certain central provinces into its public secondary schools (grades 1-12).
On March 15, in response to VnExpress , the New South Wales (NSW) Department of Education stated that this decision was made due to a recent increase in visa non-compliance by students from some central provinces of Vietnam.
In addition to suspending the processing of new applications, the Department will report the matter to the Department of Home Affairs and the Australian Government. The list of affected localities will be reviewed by the agency in the future, but no specific timeframe has been given.
"We highly value Vietnam as an international education partner and Vietnamese students in NSW schools. We intend to continue this close collaborative relationship," emphasized a spokesperson for the NSW Department of Education.
Several study abroad and immigration consulting companies said they received information from the NSW Department of Education a few days ago. Four provinces with affected international students are Quang Ninh, Ha Tinh, Quang Binh , and Nghe An. The agency stated that it will refund the processing fee (295 AUD, equivalent to 4.8 million VND) that students paid for the April and July intakes this year.
NSW is the second state to temporarily suspend admissions of Vietnamese students to public secondary schools. Earlier in February, South Australia announced it would stop accepting students from Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, and Nghe An provinces after four Vietnamese students there were reported missing. According to authorities, there was no information or evidence to suggest the students were in danger, and they "appear to be actively evading authorities."
James Ruse Agricultural High School in NSW. Photo: LinkedIn James Ruse Agricultural High School
Professor Tran Thi Ly, an expert on international education at Deakin University, Australia, believes that South Australia and NSW's restrictions on accepting high school students stem from the aforementioned disappearances. The students are suspected of trying to stay illegally.
This is happening against the backdrop of Australia wanting to reduce the number of international students. However, overall, Vietnam remains a leading market for Australian schools, so there is no need to worry.
"Vietnam is a fairly reliable market for universities, with most students being diligent and academically strong. The relationship between Vietnam and Australia has also been warm in recent times," Ms. Ly said.
As of October 2023, there were over 31,600 Vietnamese students in Australia, ranking sixth in terms of the number of international students. This number includes students in high school, university, college, vocational training, and English language programs. The largest concentration of Vietnamese students is in Victoria (approximately 13,400), followed by NSW (11,500).
For general education programs, to apply for a visa, students are required to have an acceptance letter from the school, health insurance, a consent form from parents or guardians, a letter explaining their purpose of study and their ability to stay or leave after graduation, and other documents. When changing residence, international students must declare their new address within 7 days, otherwise their visa will be canceled.
The country's Ministry of Home Affairs reported that approximately 19% of international students were denied visas in the second half of 2023, the highest rate in three years. For Vietnamese students, this figure was around 16%.
Doan Hung
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