In December 2010, the Hon Chris Bowen, Minister for Immigration and Citizenship and the Hon Chris Evans, Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills, Jobs and Workplace Relations appointed the Hon Michael Knight AO to conduct the first independent review of the Student Visa Program. Mr Knight reported to the government on 30 June 2011, making 41 recommendations to enhance the quality, integrity and competitiveness of Australia’s international education sector and improve the integrity of the Student Visa Program.
In September 2011, the government announced its response to the Knight review, and a key part of this response was to accept the recommendation that DIAC undertake a review of the Student visa Assessment Level (AL) framework. Assessment levels are a risk management approach applied to all Student visas, determining the amount of evidence visa applicants need to supply and the level of scrutiny with which their claims are assessed.
This Discussion Paper seeks stakeholder submissions on the issues raised in the Review of the Student Visa Assessment Level Framework Terms of Reference. Submissions close 16 March 2012.