How does an international student in Australia make ends meet?

[chris63863]

I've been thinking about going to Melbourne to study but I would like to ask for more opinions about it.

I was discussing it with an acquaintance of mine who also moved to Australia a while back.She is married with a family there,not an international student.

She was telling me about how hard it is to make ends meet with just 20 hours of work per week,plus the wages are bad for international students.

Also,a lot of people say they have to work illegally as well because the wages of the part time jobs are not enough as the life is expensive in Australia.

If you are an international student,please share your thoughts.

Thank you.

 

[Quoll]

You go with a healthy bank balance and then when your course is finished you leave much poorer.  Simples. You don't try and work illegally because that's a sure way to find your bum on a plane on your way out before your course finishes.

 

[Toots]

On 06/12/2018 at 21:30, chris63863 said:

I've been thinking about going to Melbourne to study but I would like to ask for more opinions about it.

I was discussing it with an acquaintance of mine who also moved to Australia a while back.She is married with a family there,not an international student.

She was telling me about how hard it is to make ends meet with just 20 hours of work per week,plus the wages are bad for international students.

Also,a lot of people say they have to work illegally as well because the wages of the part time jobs are not enough as the life is expensive in Australia.

If you are an international student,please share your thoughts.

Thank you.

 

Be warned that there is a student visa crackdown.  More than 3,000 international students have been booted out of Australia and a further 13,000 blocked from entering the country.  Immigration Minister David Coleman has said "The government will not tolerate fraud and misconduct by those seeking to study in Australia.  While international students are granted restricted work rights while in Australia. students found to be working in breach of these rights are liable to have their visa cancelled".

Lists of international students are reviewed every week to make sure the system is not rorted by foreigners wanting to work here.  The review checks students not enrolled  in a course who last studied more than two months ago but who have more than six months left on their visa.

 

[Marisawright]

International students in Australia fall into two categories.  

One, they are students with rich parents, who can afford to pay board and living expenses as well as the high international fees.  

Two, they are ordinary people who are desperate to migrate to Australia and think (wrongly) that if they come on a student visa, they will magically find some other way to stay after their course finishes. And you are right, they do usually end up working cash-in-hand to make ends meet, living in a grotty share house.  At the end of their course they usually have to go home, broke, or stay illegally.  

[sonicsleep]

I've noticed that the courses at TAFE which could grant a permanent visa afterwards cost like $22,000, and they take two years to complete.

Aaaand, you need to have $20,000 in your bank account for each year of your study or they won't let you in.

So does this mean if you want to study-to-immigrate to Australia, you need a minimum of $60,000 before your journey can even begin?

That's kind of crazy isn't it? Am I missing something?

[Toots]

5 minutes ago, sonicsleep said:

I've noticed that the courses at TAFE which could grant a permanent visa afterwards cost like $22,000, and they take two years to complete.

Aaaand, you need to have $20,000 in your bank account for each year of your study or they won't let you in.

So does this mean if you want to study-to-immigrate to Australia, you need a minimum of $60,000 before your journey can even begin?

That's kind of crazy isn't it? Am I missing something?

I don't know the exact amounts of money required but have you read Marisawright's comments above.  They are correct.  You need plenty of cash behind you or you could end up living a very poor lifestyle indeed as a student.  If you want to migrate to Australia you will need the appropriate visa.

[sonicsleep]

3 minutes ago, Toots said:

I don't know the exact amounts of money required but have you read Marisawright's comments above.  They are correct.  You need plenty of cash behind you or you could end up living a very poor lifestyle indeed as a student.  If you want to migrate to Australia you will need the appropriate visa.

I guess I just figured if you had... 10k to start off with, you could at least kickstart all this, and have a go at working the 20 hours there to struggle by. But to need 60k before you can even START, that's quite a surprise. 20hrs at minimum ($18.69) is $373.80 a week. If you actually can handle doing that, it's enough to just get by. But needing to flash all the cash right before the visa is the part that must block out a lot of applicants.

[Toots]

2 minutes ago, sonicsleep said:

I guess I just figured if you had... 10k to start off with, you could at least kickstart all this, and have a go at working the 20 hours there to struggle by. But to need 60k before you can even START, that's quite a surprise. 20hrs at minimum ($18.69) is $373.80 a week. If you actually can handle doing that, it's enough to just get by. But needing to flash all the cash right before the visa is the part that must block out a lot of applicants.

Apparently there are over 500,000 international students currently in Australia.  Many of them will have wealthy parents.  I think you need to show you have approx. $20,000 before you come.  Then there is the cost of tuition etc etc.  Also the government has a crackdown on student visas due to the system being rorted by foreigners.  That spoils it for genuine student visa applicants.

[ramot]

Our son came the international student route about 13/14 years ago. When he came it was a government approved way to get PR.

However it was a nightmare for him, as each time he became eligible, immigration changed the rules retrospectively. After he had lodged for PR everything in place as the application had to be front loaded, they put a stop on all applications, yes the government can do what they want when they want, but lots of students/employers had been rorting the system.Thousands of students were in limbo, in my sons case 31/2 years on a bridging visa. Eventually he was one of the few lucky ones to get PR, but he was older and had an MBA.

The majority after about 5 years had their applications capped and ceased, and had major problems ever getting their money back.

Only telling this as a warning, but as International students generate so much money who knows if it would happen again.

Reference working as a student, our son who was a mature student never had a problem, he  had some interesting jobs including being the weekend manager at the local servo for several years, but he had held responsible positions inUK. None of the other International students he knew lived in the conditions previously mentioned, but times might have changed. Also students can work full time in the holidays and full time when studying at a higher level eg Masters etc.

It is very expensive to study here and with no guarantee of PR not sure why it’s still so popular.

[Marisawright]

5 hours ago, sonicsleep said:

...needing to flash all the cash right before the visa is the part that must block out a lot of applicants.

Yes, that’s the idea. Australia isn’t a new country desperate for immigrants any more. Unemployment in Australia is about the same as the UK.  They want skilled experienced people not raw graduates 

Edited December 8, 2018 by Marisawright

[GC Matthew]

5 hours ago, sonicsleep said:

I guess I just figured if you had... 10k to start off with, you could at least kickstart all this, and have a go at working the 20 hours there to struggle by. But to need 60k before you can even START, that's quite a surprise. 20hrs at minimum ($18.69) is $373.80 a week. If you actually can handle doing that, it's enough to just get by. But needing to flash all the cash right before the visa is the part that must block out a lot of applicants.

$373 a week isn't enough to live on (Australia is not cheap). In addition to food, transport, utilities, rent, earning $373 means you are actually over the tax threshold so will be paying tax.

Even if you think your going to share a room with someone rather than having your own room, you will never be saving any money to pay for your next terms course fees, the expensive medical insurance that you will probably be required to get with your visa etc.

I think I was required to show evidence of 1 years fees - they did ask for some financial proof before granting my visa. It definitely wasn't 60k though.

PS Your 10k will also go a lot lot faster than you think. There were things I hadn't thought to budget for and others that just cost more than expected. Rent bond will eat a chunk. Its a struggle, and work is not as easy to find as you might think.

[VERYSTORMY]

10 hours ago, sonicsleep said:

I've noticed that the courses at TAFE which could grant a permanent visa afterwards cost like $22,000, and they take two years to complete.

Aaaand, you need to have $20,000 in your bank account for each year of your study or they won't let you in.

So does this mean if you want to study-to-immigrate to Australia, you need a minimum of $60,000 before your journey can even begin?

That's kind of crazy isn't it? Am I missing something?

It does not guarantee a PR visa. It means you may be eligible for the work ready programme, which would allow you to pass a skills assessment. However, all other or criteria would apply such as points and most importantly that the occupation is still eligible. This is important as the lists change at least once a year. Last year alone over 200 occupations were removed. 

[Parley]

I think lots probably do some illegal work for small retail shops.

I know some Indian students who do paper deliveries in the mornings and also deliver pizzas, so there are these sorts of cash jobs always available.

I suspect most have some job up to the allowable limit with a bigger company and maybe supplement it with some cash work. They do have to work hard at it.

[MaggieMay24]

I assume they want you to have a minimum amount in the bank as some assurance that you would be unlikely to work illegally.  But after reading countless posts of people who are applying for partner visas and want to cancel their student visa because they can no longer afford the tuition.... well, yes there are many who start with a plan that doesn't work out.

[Toots]

From the Department of Home Affairs

You must show us that you have genuine access to funds to meet the costs and expenses of your and your family members’ stay in Australia. 

Additionally, if asked to provide it, you will need to show us evidence that you  have enough money to pay for your stay in Australia.
 

Annual income requirement
The annual income requirement is AUD60,000 or more.

 

Genuine access to funds

You and your accompanying family members must show you will have genuine access to funds while you are in Australia. 

 

 

Edited December 11, 2018 by Toots

[Toots]

Two quite interesting articles.

https://www.macrobusiness.com.au/2018/12/chinese-tourists-students-abuse-australias-protection-visas/

https://www.sbs.com.au/yourlanguage/hindi/en/article/2018/12/10/indian-man-australian-citizenship-reinstated-lying-name-history

[s713]

Anyone wanting to move to Australia thinking you can live on $373 a week, forget it. Me and the Mrs spend half that in the pub on a Saturday arvo.

[Jim911]

On 08/12/2018 at 08:57, Marisawright said:

International students in Australia fall into two categories.  

One, they are students with rich parents, who can afford to pay board and living expenses as well as the high international fees.  

Two, they are ordinary people who are desperate to migrate to Australia and think (wrongly) that if they come on a student visa, they will magically find some other way to stay after their course finishes. And you are right, they do usually end up working cash-in-hand to make ends meet, living in a grotty share house.  At the end of their course they usually have to go home, broke, or stay illegally.  

 

I appreciate you have been here a long time (at least, judging by your post count) but I'd love to know why you think you are in a position to be able to make broad sweeping statements like this? Having spent time in and around this forum it seems half populated with negative, bitter toads looking down their noses at people for either seeking a route into their beloved adopted country, instead of offering meaningful, factual advice. 

Yes, international study is often flogged as a route to PR, there are even organisations and businesses who will kindly take care of your application, your visa, and just about everything you need to get started, all free of charge. Obviously it is not free in reality, I am under the assumption these education institutes such as TAFE pay a sort of commission for these students who are paying hefty figures. i.e $7500 per semester, x4, plus fees. 

I personally know people who have successfully gained PR through completing two years of study, due to a combination of the graduate scheme and managing to successfully be "in the right place, with the right trade, at the right time". BUT it is expensive, there are simply no guarantees, and I would not even attempt it with a family to support or no fall backs. Even in an ideal scenario, I'd prepare to go in with the mindset that there will be no outcome beyond qualification, enjoy the course and continue to work along side your studies. Even if you do study say, carpentry, complete your two years, even complete your 18 months graduate visa, you have to be prepared to lodge a full application with all the associated risks and costs. Begging the question of whether it was even worth studying internationally in the first place as opposed to studying in the UK for example, where it is significantly cheaper. 

My partner has considered doing her masters degree here, but the costs are phenomenal. We are fortunate enough to have a permanent home with family while we are here (WHV), have significant savings and no children. But even then it is looking extremely likely we will not bother. 

 

In short, can you get PR from TAFE? Yes. Will you? Probably not. Is it worth $30k to roll the dice, condemn yourselves to 24 months of short working hours, being skint and trying to play the mysterious game that is the Australia migration system? If you think so, go for it. 

[Marisawright]

33 minutes ago, Jim911 said:

I appreciate you have been here a long time (at least, judging by your post count) but I'd love to know why you think you are in a position to be able to make broad sweeping statements like this? Having spent time in and around this forum it seems half populated with negative, bitter toads looking down their noses at people for either seeking a route into their beloved adopted country, instead of offering meaningful, factual advice. 

Thank you for your kind words. I just love being called a bitter toad. 

I am not looking down my nose at anyone.  Reading your post, you yourself say "I personally know people who have successfully gained PR through completing two years of study, due to a combination of the graduate scheme and managing to successfully be "in the right place, with the right trade, at the right time". BUT it is expensive, there are simply no guarantees, and I would not even attempt it with a family to support or no fall backs. Even in an ideal scenario, I'd prepare to go in with the mindset that there will be no outcome beyond qualification, enjoy the course and continue to work along side your studies."  You even say it is "extremely likely" that you will not bother, even with the advantages you have, and that it's "probably not" worth it.

Trying to use a student visa to achieve PR is bloody hard and usually ends in tears. That's what I said. That's what you said, too.  What's your problem?

Edited December 27, 2018 by Marisawright

[newjez]

1 hour ago, Jim911 said:

 

I appreciate you have been here a long time (at least, judging by your post count) but I'd love to know why you think you are in a position to be able to make broad sweeping statements like this? Having spent time in and around this forum it seems half populated with negative, bitter toads looking down their noses at people for either seeking a route into their beloved adopted country, instead of offering meaningful, factual advice. 

Yes, international study is often flogged as a route to PR, there are even organisations and businesses who will kindly take care of your application, your visa, and just about everything you need to get started, all free of charge. Obviously it is not free in reality, I am under the assumption these education institutes such as TAFE pay a sort of commission for these students who are paying hefty figures. i.e $7500 per semester, x4, plus fees. 

I personally know people who have successfully gained PR through completing two years of study, due to a combination of the graduate scheme and managing to successfully be "in the right place, with the right trade, at the right time". BUT it is expensive, there are simply no guarantees, and I would not even attempt it with a family to support or no fall backs. Even in an ideal scenario, I'd prepare to go in with the mindset that there will be no outcome beyond qualification, enjoy the course and continue to work along side your studies. Even if you do study say, carpentry, complete your two years, even complete your 18 months graduate visa, you have to be prepared to lodge a full application with all the associated risks and costs. Begging the question of whether it was even worth studying internationally in the first place as opposed to studying in the UK for example, where it is significantly cheaper. 

My partner has considered doing her masters degree here, but the costs are phenomenal. We are fortunate enough to have a permanent home with family while we are here (WHV), have significant savings and no children. But even then it is looking extremely likely we will not bother. 

 

In short, can you get PR from TAFE? Yes. Will you? Probably not. Is it worth $30k to roll the dice, condemn yourselves to 24 months of short working hours, being skint and trying to play the mysterious game that is the Australia migration system? If you think so, go for it. 

To be fair, I don't think they are bitter toads, they are just telling it the way it is.

It used to be easier to get into Australia. But much as brexit and trump are symptomatic of people's loss of tolerance with high levels of Imigration, so to has Australia tightened the rules over the years, (also the changing economy has been a factor)

The bitter truth is that it is harder to get in than it used to be.

[Marisawright]

25 minutes ago, newjez said:

The bitter truth is that it is harder to get in than it used to be.

This.   We often see people saying, "I know someone who arrived on a temporary/WHV/whatever visa and managed to stay" - but if it was more than a few years ago, the experience isn't relevant, because things are a lot more difficult now than they were years ago. 

[WizardOfOz]

1 hour ago, Marisawright said:

Trying to use a student visa to achieve PR is bloody hard and usually ends in tears. That's what I said. That's what you said, too.  What's your problem? 

I won't speak for Jim911 but your earlier post states unequivocally that any international student who isn't rich is "desperate to migrate to Australia". That sounds like a bit of an overgeneralisation; surely that can't be the case. Furthermore I don't think any "ordinary" international student in uni or on the street would appreciate being thought of as being desperate to remain in Australia.

[Marisawright]

1 hour ago, WizardOfOz said:

your earlier post states unequivocally that any international student who isn't rich is "desperate to migrate to Australia". That sounds like a bit of an overgeneralisation; surely that can't be the case. 

Why do you say that?     There are three reasons to study in Australia: 

1. To gain a qualification not available in one's own country - I'm discounting this for Brits or Europeans because I don't think it would ever apply.

2. To take the opportunity to experience a different country while achieving a qualification. 

3.  To use it as an avenue to stay in Australia.

Those who take option (2) must be rich, because it's such an expensive choice. The rich can afford it as an indulgence.  The average person would too sensible to pay big money to get a foreign qualification, when they can get the same qualification at home for significantly less cost (as Jim911 points out).

So that leaves those who take option 3. And as even Jim911 points out, the chances of that succeeding are slim, so they must, by definition, be either dreaming or desperate.  

[ramot]

On 08/12/2018 at 17:19, ramot said:

Our son came the international student route about 13/14 years ago. When he came it was a government approved way to get PR.

However it was a nightmare for him, as each time he became eligible, immigration changed the rules retrospectively. After he had lodged for PR everything in place as the application had to be front loaded, they put a stop on all applications, yes the government can do what they want when they want, but lots of students/employers had been rorting the system.Thousands of students were in limbo, in my sons case 31/2 years on a bridging visa. Eventually he was one of the few lucky ones to get PR, but he was older and had an MBA.

The majority after about 5 years had their applications capped and ceased, and had major problems ever getting their money back.

Only telling this as a warning, but as International students generate so much money who knows if it would happen again.

Reference working as a student, our son who was a mature student never had a problem, he  had some interesting jobs including being the weekend manager at the local servo for several years, but he had held responsible positions inUK. None of the other International students he knew lived in the conditions previously mentioned, but times might have changed. Also students can work full time in the holidays and full time when studying at a higher level eg Masters etc.

It is very expensive to study here and with no guarantee of PR not sure why it’s still so popular.

As I wrote in the above, I am probably the only poster who has experienced someone coming as an International student so speak from experience rather than hearsay. It was definitely easier to get PR this way then, but there was a major clamp down as written above, so anyone considering this route is well advised to take note that it is very expensive and with no guarantee of PR.

I would point out that there are also many International students studying here on one year exchanges, who don’t fit any of the previously mentioned groups.

Also want to add to a comment that many people claim to know of someone who managed to stay in Australia after a WHV.as if this is an urban myth.

Again it might be harder now, but my daughter did just that and so did many of her friends that I know personally. So it really does/did happen. 

I have been a poster since 2009, but don’t post extensively, as I mainly post from experience and prefer not to give immigration advice, but will point out that over the years you do see very similar questions and posts Asked over and over again, so sometimes the replies can come across as not as helpful, but that is not usually the intention, as it is easy to forget that this is new to the OP. but the pitfalls must be pointed out and are intended as helpful.

[Tulip1]

9 hours ago, ramot said:

As I wrote in the above, I am probably the only poster who has experienced someone coming as an International student so speak from experience rather than hearsay. It was definitely easier to get PR this way then, but there was a major clamp down as written above, so anyone considering this route is well advised to take note that it is very expensive and with no guarantee of PR.

I would point out that there are also many International students studying here on one year exchanges, who don’t fit any of the previously mentioned groups.

Also want to add to a comment that many people claim to know of someone who managed to stay in Australia after a WHV.as if this is an urban myth.

Again it might be harder now, but my daughter did just that and so did many of her friends that I know personally. So it really does/did happen. 

I have been a poster since 2009, but don’t post extensively, as I mainly post from experience and prefer not to give immigration advice, but will point out that over the years you do see very similar questions and posts Asked over and over again, so sometimes the replies can come across as not as helpful, but that is not usually the intention, as it is easy to forget that this is new to the OP. but the pitfalls must be pointed out and are intended as helpful.

Would be interested to know how all these people did manage to get PR from a WHV, please elaborate