Full school fees for permanent residents?

Guys, is this true? or it's going to need to get approved in the parliament? It's going to impact the migration -> housing market hugely if all PRs have to pay the same school fees as international students.

‘We will leave’: Kiwis and permanent residents reeling from uni fee hike

 

Yes it is - it won't affect anyone currently enrolled, only new entrants under the new system. The issue is some people are doing multiple degrees so they may finish their first under the grandfathered system, then stuck when it comes to the next degree.

In the end the government isn't too keen to providing subsidised university to NZ'ers in particular who can use Australia as a place to get an education and head back home.

 

Is it kick started straight away? So, from 2018, anyone with a PR (even if you got your PR before 2018) will need to pay full fees?

I think this will discourage a lot of migrants from coming in because why would they want to apply for a residency if there's no benefit in children school fees? Say a family of 2 kids who wants to migrate here, they would have to pay $30k - $40k per year compared to less than 10k before...

 

Its not about school fee. It is about university fee which was never 'free' in Australia. Schools are in fact free

 

Oh yeah, u r right. so it's only the uni..... but still, comparing to 3, 4k a year to 20k+ a year.... it's going to impact migrants.

 

From what I've read it will affect both existing and new PR.

I'm assuming the push will then be for people to transition to citizenship pathways than sit on PR for life - at least the option is on the table. The only difficult thing I can see is with some PR's who will lose their birth countries citizenship if they become a citizen here - but you can't have it all.

 

AFAIK this isn't the case for everyone, temporary residents have to pay full school fees: linky

 

No, university was never free for migrants. The only change I can see now is PR cannot avail the commonwealth places anymore. But that will impact a very small amount of migrants because most skilled migrants coming in don't need to study courses offered on commonwealth places anyway. The study higher degrees which were never free.

 

No, but migrants have children who are going to do Uni's, and the fees have always been like 3, 4k a year comparing to 20k a year as international students. That's a huge difference.

 

How rare is it to have uni going 'children' for a migrant? They have the option to switch to citizenship if they are living here that long. I don't see a point in subsidising education of a person who does not want to become a citizen.

 

So what if the situation was reversed? Would NZ fund my kids university education if we lived there as a non-resident?
New Zealand
"While New Zealand is a great place to study as an international student, it does have one downside – tuition costs."

 

Saw bill shorten's budget reply last night and still bit unclear but it seems labour will be opposing the entire bill. So this still require senate to pass through.....

however with populists politics favour of the season i think this will sail through. quite unfortunate.

 

there are many I am aware of. I don't think many migrants realise this yet. But many come with family who have teenagers and will move on to uni's here. They will be surprised to find their fees equivalent to international student fees and i see this as bigger deterrent going forward. But note that HECS will be available for PR students now....so pay international fees by borrowing from government and go in debt...

Its ok to say these ppl should get citizenship but guess what even that rule has changed. so you have to be pr for 4 yrs before you apply for citizen here. this Simon (education minister) was asked why these changes and he said according to their findings paying upfront fees were deterrent hence they will allow HECS available to PR people but charge them international fees.So basically he reckons by increasing fees 5-6 times on some courses but allowing students to borrow from federal government will have more enrolments. what a joke....he was asked to release the study and he said they don't have to.....

The fact is political environment has changed for this government and they will go after the soft targets like PR. why give people residency if you treat them like international students....

I know a family who have come here as temp. resident, working their butt off like most do, they will get PR in 2 yrs (changes to citizen rules means hey will have to wait 6 yrs for citizen) in meanwhile their teen kids will have to pay international fees while pursuing their studies....yes they can borrow from government but not everyone wants to do that...they understand consequences of their kids going in debt

Sorry turned out be long rant....but i feel strongly about this.

 

I think that is justified. the thing with PR is it can expire anytime and then you are gone. aus government can still chase you but how cumbersome that process is going to be and for how many people? Hence I support the idea of PRs not availing HECS

i may benefit from this as my wife is PR but still i think it is very generous of aus govt. to do it. It may turn out to be a good policy as new arriving PRs can now upskill themselves for the local market.

not saying there wont be any. but the percentage of migrants coming in with children who will go to uni within 4 years is very small no matter how many you personally know. as we tend to know more people who are like us which gives us a skewed view of the world

 

that is not quite accurate I am afraid. PR is 5 yrs visa with extension of ongoing 5 yrs easily possible (at least for now). Many i know have not got the citizenship but keen renewing their PR.

There was article earlier this year i think where many HECS students are working overseas and government is working to claw their money back owed. By giving more loans i think that chances will go up. I am not suggesting these are all bad changes but when you measure the affect it has on families who are doing all the right thing is unfortunate. Mind you not all wants to go in debt before they start earning....idea of charging students 5-6 times more but allowing them to borrow from same government doesn't sound good economics to me....so if out of these every 5 loan 1 loan goes bad.....its break even for government...I think it's more politically motivated that anything else....

 

There is a issue with a PR getting HELP debts. Compulsory repayments must have an agreed plan if you depart Australia. Border Force will monitor this - I believe they will hand you a form on departure together with a brochure explaining the process. Some people can be denied exit if they dont complete a form at time of departure. I would think thats rare.

Personally I love how MyGov is the only way to update your details otherwise - And its cautions you can lose access when you are overseas.

Overseas repayments

 

that is right. point is it expires in 5 years and you need to apply for renewal. What if you don't after you complete your MBA and get a job back home?

govt. should claw back but this is different because they are citizens and easy to track and apply your laws on them.

it may turn out to be a good decision. some PR will take advantage of that but if most new PRs get benefited and pay tax then everyone should be happy. I am sure the govt has calculated their risk

 

really...I can't find that article but it said clearly government is struggling to get that money..UK was the example give.

On this being calculated risk....We have to agree to disagree

 

my point exactly. if they are struggling in UK imagine India

Agreed

at the end of the day HECS is a calculated risk taken by the govt. you got to provide a way for people who want tertiary education but can't just socialise it for everyone. after all we are a perfect mix of capitalism and socialism

 

You and @S0805 are misinformed about a few things apart from the above quoted which is simply incorrect. A PR is indefinite. The visa is valid for 5 years (if you validate it in the first year). Meaning, if you have to re-enter Australia after 5 years, you have to apply for a RRV (Resident Return Visa) which used to cost $150. You cannot just loose your Permanent Resident status.