The land down under is also attracting students who wish to travel abroad for their degree along with their life partners. The Australian government’s policy to grant a dependent visa to the spouse of an applying student has proven to be an attractive scheme for prospective students. Married couples should provide legal evidence of their relationship status to the Australian High Commission in order to ensure a dependent visa. Documentations can include a relationship verification certificate, joint bank accounts, joint assets, a marriage certificate, photos and videos. However, education consultants claim that the dependent visa is usually granted to spouses of applicants pursuing a master’s degree or above. “The High Commission needs sufficient proof that the relationship is genuine. High school graduates who plan to pursue a bachelor’s degree along with a spouse on a dependent visa are interrogated aggressively due to their age,” said Timilsina. Currently, about 30 percent of Nepalis applying for Australian visas are leaving under the dependent visa. When applying for a visa, students need to show that they have adequate financial assets to cover the spouse’s travel to and stay in Australia. Children of such applicants also need a dependent visa to legally live in Australia. Such dependent visas are granted to family members of students whose degrees take over a year to complete. A dependent visa also enables the spouse to work legally. If the student is pursuing a master’s degree or above, the dependent travelling with the applicant can work full time, but if the student is still doing a bachelor’s degree, the dependent can work for only 20 hours a week. The student, too, is allowed to legally for 20 hours in addition to attending classes, and can stretch this to full time work during breaks. The minimum wage set by the Australian government is AUS $16 per hour, but wages may differ according to the individual’s capacity.

The Australian government’s policy to grant a dependent visa to the spouse of an applying student has proven to be an attractive scheme for prospective students

Published on: 3 April 2013 |The Kathmandu Post