Studying before PR visa grant

[LearnInOz]

Are there any specific visas to apply for in order to study in Australia while I wait offshore for a permanent residency grant? Or just the subclass 500 student visa?

It may seem obvious to wait for my PR before studying, but having two years past already since I applied for PR, and at the current pace of skilled visa grants, it wouldn't surprise me if I have years more to wait. I was hoping to go back to school the end of this year or next. Never thought I'd still be waiting even after borders have opened and the pandemic has wained.

I feel like I already know the answer and that is to wait, but I want to make sure I'm not missing something. Don't want to be delaying life anymore without reason.

I plan to talk to a migration agent but wanted to see if anyone hear had ideas. Thanks!

[Marisawright]

There is no rule against having two visa applications in progress at the same time.  You can't hold two visas at the same time, but you can apply for both.  

It seems to me that if your goal is to study in Australia, not to work, then you might as well go for the student visa.  As you probably know, the permanent residency visa is fiercely competitive and you may not even be successful.

 

[LearnInOz]

5 minutes ago, Marisawright said:

 

It seems to me that if your goal is to study in Australia, not to work, then you might as well go for the student visa.

 

Thanks for your response. Both actually. I'm a skilled worker but lately, I'm pondering to go back to school, at least part time. To clarify, my PR application was lodged over two years ago. With the seemingly lack of interest in granting PR visas by the government, I'm starting to consider whether I should go ahead with applying for a student visa despite having a PR application lodged. That or study somewhere else and transfer university to Oz when the PR grant arrives - or simply wait for however many years that may be. The mind's a terrible thing to waste, as they say!

[Marisawright]

51 minutes ago, LearnInOz said:

Thanks for your response. Both actually. I'm a skilled worker but lately, I'm pondering to go back to school, at least part time. To clarify, my PR application was lodged over two years ago. With the seemingly lack of interest in granting PR visas by the government....

The whole permanent visa process has been completely suspended for the last two years, with a few exceptions.   Immigration has begun processing applications again and there's no reason to suppose they'll be any slower than they were pre-Covid, apart from dealing with the backlog.

[LearnInOz]

11 minutes ago, Marisawright said:

The whole permanent visa process has been completely suspended for the last two years, with a few exceptions.   Immigration has begun processing applications again and there's no reason to suppose they'll be any slower than they were pre-Covid, apart from dealing with the backlog.

Fingers crossed. I suppose it is still too "early" to expect movement.

[Quoll]

Never put your life on hold waiting for something that might never happen. If you want to study, do it now - it'll be much cheaper to do it in UK anyway. Even if your visa does arrive while you are studying you'll still have enough time to finish your course as long as you validate your visa. Australia isn't going to go anywhere and it'll still be here at the end of your course if you get your visa. 

[LearnInOz]

2 hours ago, Quoll said:

Never put your life on hold waiting for something that might never happen. If you want to study, do it now - it'll be much cheaper to do it in UK anyway. Even if your visa does arrive while you are studying you'll still have enough time to finish your course as long as you validate your visa. Australia isn't going to go anywhere and it'll still be here at the end of your course if you get your visa. 

Well said. Waiting to hear back from some universities in Australia to find out which overseas uni's they accept credits from. From there, I'll decide whether to start. Crazy times.

[Marisawright]

19 minutes ago, LearnInOz said:

Well said. Waiting to hear back from some universities in Australia to find out which overseas uni's they accept credits from. From there, I'll decide whether to start. Crazy times.

You might have missed the bit where Quoll pointed out how much cheaper it will be to study in the UK.   If you go to Australia, you'll have to pay full international fees, no subsidies.  You'll be limited to working 20 hours a week and it's not easy to find employers willing to fit around your lectures, so most students work much less than that.  Make sure you do your budget. 

[LearnInOz]

1 minute ago, Marisawright said:

You might have missed the bit where Quoll pointed out how much cheaper it will be to study in the UK.   If you go to Australia, you'll have to pay full international fees, no subsidies.  You'll be limited to working 20 hours a week and it's not easy to find employers willing to fit around your lectures, so most students work much less than that.  Make sure you do your budget. 

Yes, I understood that, but if I were to have my visa granted for Australia while studying back home, I could transfer to Oz to continue studying as a permanent resident along with the benefits that come with it - as long as my credits transfer.

[Tulip1]

1 minute ago, LearnInOz said:

Yes, I understood that, but if I were to have my visa granted for Australia while studying back home, I could transfer to Oz to continue studying as a permanent resident along with the benefits that come with it - as long as my credits transfer.

You probably could but you will still not be eligible for any student finance so please be mindful of that.  Best of luck. 

[LearnInOz]

13 minutes ago, Tulip1 said:

You probably could but you will still not be eligible for any student finance so please be mindful of that.  Best of luck. 

Thanks. I suppose what I'm willing to pay will depend how strong my passion for living, working, and studying in Australia will be.

[Marisawright]

1 hour ago, LearnInOz said:

Yes, I understood that, but if I were to have my visa granted for Australia while studying back home, I could transfer to Oz to continue studying as a permanent resident along with the benefits that come with it - as long as my credits transfer.

Yes, which is why commencing study in the UK would be more sensible, provided you get the credits transfer.

The other question is, what drives your passoin for living in Australia?   If it's a pursuit of a better life, then starting out with a mountain of debt might not be the best way to achieve success.   Contrary to popular belief, salaries in Australia are not always better than British ones, so you won't necessarily be able to clear the debt quickly.  I can understand your eagerness to get here, but waiting a year or two to complete your studies in the UK would enable you to arrive in Australia in better financial health.

[LearnInOz]

55 minutes ago, Marisawright said:

Yes, which is why commencing study in the UK would be more sensible, provided you get the credits transfer.

The other question is, what drives your passoin for living in Australia?   If it's a pursuit of a better life, then starting out with a mountain of debt might not be the best way to achieve success.   Contrary to popular belief, salaries in Australia are not always better than British ones, so you won't necessarily be able to clear the debt quickly.  I can understand your eagerness to get here, but waiting a year or two to complete your studies in the UK would enable you to arrive in Australia in better financial health.

They're questions I've considered. I've read of the struggles moving to Australia from others on the forums. I do understand the risks, while also accepting that there's simply no straight path to settling in Australia at the moment, even through a straight-forward visa application.

[Marisawright]

14 minutes ago, LearnInOz said:

They're questions I've considered. I've read of the struggles moving to Australia....

So much depends on your individual situation. For instance, I've seen doctors and nurses say they're better off financially in Australia.  Some trades do better here, too.  However in the corporate sector, people often find they are worse off. So it depends what you do.

Then there's where you want to live.  For instance, Sydney's house prices are double the price of houses anywhere else in Australia, except Melbourne, and although salaries are a bit higher to compensate (like London loading), they're a very long way from double. But if you have the kind of job where you can work in the smaller cities along the coasts, outside the capital cities, you're laughing.

Finally there's whether you're single, a couple with no kids, or bringing children with you. If single, it's much easier to live in a small space, live on a modest budget, stay mobile and go where the work is, etc.  Even as a couple that's possible.  As soon as kids are involved, you need a proper home, properly equipped, which pushes up your costs considerably.

Edited March 14, 2022 by Marisawright

[LearnInOz]

Thanks @Marisawright. Good info.

[Quoll]

On 14/03/2022 at 10:51, LearnInOz said:

Well said. Waiting to hear back from some universities in Australia to find out which overseas uni's they accept credits from. From there, I'll decide whether to start. Crazy times.

I wouldn’t study in Australia! Too bloody expensive as an international student and you’d have restricted work hours then you’d have to leave at the end of it anyway most likely. Do it in uk - much cheaper! 

[rammygirl]

Enquire about remote units, not sure about cost but this was possible even before COVID. My son did units from Australia as part of his UK degree without leaving the Uk. It will depend on the subject of course but it didn’t cost any extra as his UK grant covered it. 

[Marisawright]

9 minutes ago, rammygirl said:

Enquire about remote units, not sure about cost but this was possible even before COVID. My son did units from Australia as part of his UK degree without leaving the Uk. It will depend on the subject of course but it didn’t cost any extra as his UK grant covered it. 

Brilliant idea.

[wrussell]

If Australian PR is granted and activated by a quick visit the holder can come and go as s/he pleases for 5 years.

UK degrees that were not cut out of a cornflakes packet are recognised as comparable to an Australian degree.

Advanced academic standing is sometimes granted on subject completed basis and sometimes on a years complete basis.