For many the dream of studying abroad is more than just about gaining a degree. It is about finding better opportunities and seeking new experiences. Ultimately, every effort is aimed towards building a new life in a new country. However, the path to realising this life is not as rosy as it was before. Updates in visa policies have introduced a new level of complexity necessitating the need for every student to navigate with care. 

Selecting a Course has Become Important

International students today and in future need more than just an ambition, they need to have a strategy. Primary among them is the type of course we are picking as per the new visa policies that have been amended. The year 2024 has been a year of a lot of changes raising the importance of selecting a programme that you want to study.

When we talk about Australia, they have brought in many new conditions and changed visa policies. There were extensive discussions regarding the Education Services for Overseas Students (ESOS) Act 2000, particularly about the potential implications of Ministerial Direction 107 and the future of AL1 and AL2 in Australia. 

Ministerial Direction 107 is an order from the Australian Government that prioritises the consideration and disposal of Student Guardian visas and the Subclass 500 (student) visa. Its purpose is to manage the high demand for Subclass 500 visas in an orderly manner. On the other hand, AL1 and AL2 are risk levels assigned by the Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP) to student visa applications in Australia. AL1 is a lower risk level and AL2 is a middle-risk level. The higher the risk level the more documents a student needs to provide for visa approval.

Moving to another favourite destination for international students, the UK also made several changes in its student visa structure. Prominent is the facility to bring family members such as spouses and children. Under the new rules, only postgraduate research students are allowed to bring in dependents.  Furthermore, some financial changes will also come into effect from January 2025. There was a lot of discussion on PGWP on whether it should be closed or not. Canada too has followed suit and has brought in several changes in 2024.

The Majority of International Students want to Settle Overseas

There are many countries where international students go. The majority of the students, nearly 90% of them who move overseas for higher education have the intention to settle there permanently. Most of the students pursue a post-study work visa as a pathway to further their stay in the country. They gain experience through post-study work visas and finally settle there.

Very few international students return to their home country and it mostly happens in those cases where they are not able to fulfil the requirement to settle in the new country. Regardless of your aim to pursue higher studies overseas, there are certain things that you need to keep in mind. Talk to overseas education consultants in Chandigarh to know the latest happenings in immigration.

What is the Latest in the Immigration World

Changes in visa regulations are happening faster than ever before. If you are planning to study in Canada, Australia, the UK, and the USA, you should be aware of the new regulations that will be applicable in 2025. It has become more important now because the rules are changing rapidly, and in many cases, they are implemented immediately. Next is the selection of the field in which you want to study. Don’t go for generic courses, but pursue specialised programmes only. 

Job markets today and in future will employ those people who have specialisation in some field and not the generic ones. The demand for jack-of-all-trades people is over now. If you can perform a task that few others can perform and that too in the fastest possible time, your chances of finding a job are much higher. A prospective international student should have answer to the questions, what value can I bring? How can I stand out in this competitive landscape?

Time is Money for Future Businesses

Technology and machines have improved the efficiency of businesses across industries. The role of people who perform mechanised work is reducing as machines can perform such tasks faster. People have understood that the value of time is equal to money. Till now these things were only heard, but it is happening now.

We should save time by picking the right course, and country, and finding the right immigration consultant who has a good experience. A good immigration consultant can help you not only fill out the study visa but also provide career guidance and help you pick the right programme. They will help in attaining scholarships which will be an icing on the cake.

The Takeaway

As we are preparing ourselves for the future, we should count every second as valuable. Students preparing to study abroad should make study plans after serious consideration.  Companies are looking for people who are experts in a given field, who can accomplish tasks fast and save time for them. Your plan to study overseas in 2025 should prepare you for the future demands of companies.