A report by The Australian states that recently introduced changes to processing of student visa applications has caused major delays and has also resulted into visa applications being rejected.

This threatens to impact Australia’s third-largest export industry, education for overseas students, pegged to be at $18.5 billion industry at the moment.

The report points out that the new “simplified” visa processing regime which was implemented from July 1st this year has caused major delays.

Australian education providers like English-language course colleges, Universities may lose out as the students may not arrive in time before the term commences.

This visa delays have mostly affected overseas students from China.

Fiona Docherty, Vice President, International from the University of NSW told The Australian that 350 students who are due to start in coming weeks haven't yet been granted visas.

Another stakeholder, Australian Council of Graduate Research’s Executive Officer Fiona Zammit said the concern is so high that China’s prestigious scholarship body, The Chinese Scholarship Council is recommending its students to consider other countries for education.

Several hundred students who have applied to study English in Australia before moving to degree programs too haven't received their visa, Brett Blacker, executive director of English Australia, which represents ­English-language colleges, said.

DIBP ACKNOWLEDGES BACKLOG

A spokesman from the Department of Immigration and Border Control acknowledged changes to the visa system had led to a backlog.

He said the department, within a month, aimed to finalise 75 per cent of applications.

He also added that the department would be prioritising visa applications lodged more than a month ago.

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