Australia Puts India in High Risk Category

[Anta Assamey]

Australian passport

After the United States and Canada, Australia has been one of the most preferred destinations for Indian students pursuing higher education abroad. However, it now appears that Australia may no longer allow Indian students easy entry into the country.

According to recent developments, the Australian government has reportedly classified India as a high risk country in terms of student visa processing. India has been moved from Level Two scrutiny to Level Three scrutiny by the Australian immigration department.

This change means that Australian authorities will adopt a more stringent and time consuming approach while processing student visa applications from India. Visa officers may now spend more time physically verifying documents and could even contact banks to cross check financial records.

As a result, the visa process is expected to become more complicated for Indian students planning to study in Australia.

Along with India, other Asian countries such as Nepal and Bangladesh have also been placed in the high risk category by Australian authorities. This development is likely to cause concern among students and education consultants alike.