International students should not expect permanent residency in Australia: Minister

Australian News.Net
Monday 8th February, 2010

Melbourne, Feb.8 : Australia's Immigration Minister Chris Evans has said that international students should not expect to become permanent residents of the country automatically.

"There's still a pathway for students, but they have to have the skills we need, they have got to have good English language skills and they have to sit, effectively, a trade test," Senator Evans told Sky News.

"If you can get a job and employers are prepared to sponsor you, then clearly you're of value and you'll fit in and you'll make successful migration," he added.

Senator Evans took aim at private colleges, saying they had created an expectation among students of permanent residency.

"There's no doubt that the growth in the market was driven, in part, by the demand for access to our labour market and permanent residency here," he said.

Have your say on this story