Australia Attracts a Record Number of Nepalese Students

An increasing number of students from Nepal are choosing Australia each year as their destination country for higher studies. Nepalese students first began emigrating to Australia in large numbers during the late 1990s and early 2000s due to the political unrest in their homeland. The trend has continued in recent years and presently Nepal occupies the fourth place among countries with the highest number of international students in Australia.

Nepalese students are attracted to Australia because of the relatively easy process for obtaining the student visa, lower tuition fees and good job prospects. Falling quality of education in Nepal is another factor prompting students to explore options for education abroad. Most of the students are also keen on securing the Permanent Residency (PR) after settling down in their careers.

With an annual growth of around 27 percent, the Nepalese form the fastest growing community in Australia. The fact that Nepali is the second most spoken language other than English in the state of Tasmania speaks for itself.

However, the recent decision of the Australian government to abolish the 457 visa scheme for skilled migrants could affect many Nepalese planning to work in the country. Current holders of 457 visas would not be impacted by the changes and can continue to work in Australia until the expiry of their visa.

Beginning March 2018, prospective immigrants from Nepal and other countries would need to utilize the new Temporary Skills Shortage (TSS) visa program that comprises a short-term stream for up to two years and a medium term stream for up to four years.