Students and Australia’s Permanent Residency Mirage

Students : International graduates who opt to stay in Australia upon finishing their studies frequently face considerable obstacles when it comes to establishing meaningful careers.

A recent study has shed light on these challenges, revealing that just 50% of international graduates manage to secure full-time employment. What’s more, a substantial portion of them end up in low-skilled positions, with nearly half of them earning less than $53K annually.

Students in Australia

The report from the Grattan Institute has identified another troubling trend: less than one-third of Temporary Graduate visa holders transition to permanent residency when their visas expire.

This represents a noteworthy decrease from the two-thirds transition rate observed in 2014, leaving many graduates in a state of uncertainty. To prolong their stay in Australia, international graduates frequently resort to a tactic involving a return to further education, often enrolling in more cost-effective vocational courses.

However, this approach serves as a temporary fix and fails to address the root problems. The report also highlights that government policies have contributed to exacerbating the situation. A recent decision permitting graduates to extend their stay and work is projected to almost double the number of Temporary Graduate visa holders to approximately 370,000 by 2030.

As a result, this is expected to compound the existing challenges, leaving graduates in a state of visa uncertainty and placing added strain on Australia’s rental markets.

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