student visa

partnership

Son is currently on a WHV visa which ends in October. He wants to stay on. He has been working and studying part time and has obtained a Certificate IV in Healthcare Ambulance with the intention of doing the Diploma in Paramedical Science. He is currently looking for work but probably won't be able to get sponsored with just the Certificate. If he was to apply for a student visa would he be able to get a student loan?
Any advice ont his or getting work in this area welcome.

pete4130

As a foreign student, he will have to pay for his tuition fees up front and in full as a foreign student. Foreign student rates are usually much higher than rates for citizens.

I looked into doing a part time, 2 year Associate Degree in Engineering earlier this year. I'm about 2 months off getting my Permanent Residency. I would still have had to pay my tuition fees up front and in full and was not entitled to any sort of funding/student loan.

I would imagine your son is in the same position.

As for studying on a WHV, the restrictions are as follows from here

http://www.workingin-australia.com/visa/information/working-holiday#.VbiUBmRViko

"You can study in Australia for a maximum of four months on a Working Holiday visa (Subclass 417). If you study with one education provider while on your first Working Holiday visa, you can return to the same provider for a further four months on your second Working Holiday visa. If you wish to study for a longer period in Australia, you may be able to apply for a Student visa."


I also did look into studying a Cert IV in Healthcare in Ambulance (Paramedic) last year. I was also recommended to study a Cert IV in OH&S (Health & Safety) as it's much easier to gain employment as you are dual qualified to be a Safety Officer AND act as a Paramedic. Companies would see this as a positive. Filling 2 roles with 1 person/salary.

AngryHippie

Some examples of typical programme costs here

Also on a student visa, you are restricted to working 20 hours per week.

As a PR however, the course costs drop dramatically and access to HECS/HELP (Long term zero/low interest loans from federal govt.)becomes available with citizenship. (gets deducted from your pre-tax income once you hit a threshold)

It's probably not feasible on a student visa to be honest, it will take a fair bit of bankrolling or borrowing to get it done. There are other ways to get it done. Explore the other visa possibilities and pathways to PR on immi.gov.au
It's a tough situation to be in, I'm studying part time by distance myself, I'm lucky enough that I've got my citizenship in place and the course costs are beneficial to my income tax situation, otherwise I'd be under quite a lot if pressure.

partnership

Thanks Angryhippie I think it would be difficult even though he is prepared to live on very little and not go out if need be. What other options would he have to stay on? Have looked at the different visas but it seems as if he would have to be sponsored by someone in order to stay on. For the student visa does the course have to be full time because if he could do the online diploma it is a lot cheaper but not sure if that would qualify.

AngryHippie

partnership wrote: »

For the student visa does the course have to be full time because if he could do the online diploma it is a lot cheaper but not sure if that would qualify.

Has he got any formal qualifications at all ? Or more than 3 years experience in any particular field of work ?

I ask because some of the SOL's are a little bit open ended....http://www.border.gov.au/Trav/Work/Work/Skills-assessment-and-assessing-authorities/skilled-occupations-lists/SOL
Painting trades workers 332211

If he has enough experience it may be possible to run through a quick Recognition of Prior Learning process to get the relevant Cert III etc. to jump straight through the VETASSESS hoops without breaching the 4 month rule on the WHV, opening up a pathway to seek sponsorship enabling him to work full time while completing the Paramedic Diploma online....

The system looks hopelessly complicated from the outside, but once you get familiar with Training.gov.au it opens up and becomes obvious that they are pushing people to formalize their experience in the form of a qualification. It's all well and good to have 3 years experience working in a field and picking up heaps of skills and knowledge, but they are only of use to the employer unless you actually chase down the training modules that they represent and squeeze them into a qualification, then they become portable.

Explore it further, feel free to PM me if you have any questions, I've jumped through a lot of hoops over here from WHV to bridging visa to PR to citizenship, RPL for Cert III and Degree level courses. It's a painful exercise in documentation at the time, I made it harder on myself than I had to by learning some things the hard way, but in the long run, I believe it is worth it if he is keen to build a future for himself in Australia.

minzabud

Some courses can be done in the evening 2 or 3 times a week, I have heard of some companies doubling the hourly rate to get around the 20hrs a week.

partnership

Thanks angryhippie might get him to do that.

Not sure what was meant by evening courses can you clarify minza