今年澳洲移民局好消息不断，5月26日，澳洲政府宣布又简化了高等文凭课程的签证审批过程，使得更多的海外学生将更易申请来澳留学签证。联邦教育部长柏恩（Christopher Pyne）希望扩大简化签证审批的范围，能有助于增加来澳留学的留学生人数。按照政府的新规定，低移民风险的高等教育机构从2015年初开始，将能向申请高等文凭类课程的学生，提供简化的签证审批过程。
 
　　在实施新政策之前，只有就读学士学位、硕士学位或博士学位，以及符合资格的交换生计划的学生，才能较快地获得签证审批。小编认为，此举将拯救澳洲的公立TAFE技术培训学院和大量高质量的私立College，因为移民局不再看申请人的英文、资金和学历，一切由大学来决定入学条件；但是具体就政策的执行，还得由移民局用GTE这个要求来制约，所以申请技工课程一定要验证申请人的真实目的，确保移民局不认为申请人的背景不适合留学。 

　　来源：www.immi.gov.au/students/student-visa-non-university.htm 

　　More streamlined visas a boost for Australian education sector

　　Monday, 26 May 2014

　　Joint media release with the Hon Scott Morrison MP, Minister for Immigration and Border Protection and the Hon Christopher Pyne MP, Minister for Education, Leader of the House.

　　Streamlined visa processing arrangements will be extended to students enrolled in advanced diploma level courses at low immigration risk providers, Minister for Immigration and Border Protection, the Hon Scott Morrison and Minister for Education, Christopher Pyne said today.

　　Minister Morrison said the streamlining of the visa application process for advanced diploma courses will benefit eligible students through simpler and faster visa processing, and is in addition to existing arrangements for eligible higher education sector students.

　　“This will enable eligible education providers in the Vocational Education and Training (VET) sector and higher education sector to directly access SVP. This will make study in Australia even more attractive to overseas students, while at the same time ensuring that immigration risk is appropriately managed,” Minister Morrison said.

　　Minister Pyne said that these changes will substantially benefit Australia's high-quality VET and higher education sectors, supporting the sustainable growth of Australia's international education industry while providing a vital boost to the economy.

　　“The number of international students seeking to study in Australia continues to rebound positively, with an increase of over 27 per cent in the number of visas granted to offshore applicants in the 2013-14 programme year,” Minister Pyne said.

　　“Extending SVP arrangements will help capitalise on these trends, reducing red tape and helping to attract further students from overseas.”