SIR beware

[Guest Craigy]

We came in on a SIR visa eith two teenagers, the oldest has now finished year 12 and would like to go to uni.

 

What nobody informed us of was the fact that on an SIR visa, he was classed as an overseas student. The cost for a part time foundation course, $500 for perm residents, cost for SIR $8800. What they do tell you is that he can go, what they don't tell you is that it is cost prohibitive.

 

We knew we were not entitaled to benefits, first time buyers grant, baby allowance, the $1000 Kevin Rudd is giving out - but no one told us we 'couldn't' educate our kids until perm residents, yet they knew their ages when we came in. Suprisingly even Imagration SA knew nothing of this.

 

Beware

[andy and lindsey]

I have friends whose children are at uni (2 of them) and they are permanent residents and they too have to pay international student fees too, that unfortunately does not decrease until they are citizens :noxmas:Its costing them an arm and a leg!

Lindsey

[Guest sarahsmartiepants]

I have friends whose children are at uni (2 of them) and they are permanent residents and they too have to pay international student fees too, that unfortunately does not decrease until they are citizens :noxmas:Its costing them an arm and a leg!

Lindsey

Then they are either NOT PRs or they have been miss informed. You pay full resident costs if you are on PR this is a hell of a lot cheaper than temp visa fee which is charged as international student fees.

Once you are citizen the fees are the same as for PR except you get the chance to pay up front and save a % PLUS you get the right to to HECS loan. They must go back to the uni and sort it out. We found we had to tell them what our rights were as PR when our son joined uni, some knew there and some didnt. Hope they can sort something out.

sarah

[Guest sarahsmartiepants]

We came in on a SIR visa eith two teenagers, the oldest has now finished year 12 and would like to go to uni.

 

What nobody informed us of was the fact that on an SIR visa, he was classed as an overseas student. The cost for a part time foundation course, $500 for perm residents, cost for SIR $8800. What they do tell you is that he can go, what they don't tell you is that it is cost prohibitive.

 

We knew we were not entitaled to benefits, first time buyers grant, baby allowance, the $1000 Kevin Rudd is giving out - but no one told us we 'couldn't' educate our kids until perm residents, yet they knew their ages when we came in. Suprisingly even Imagration SA knew nothing of this.

 

Beware

This is something that must be researched into before coming, and this one is important too on a temp visa, a child, once 18, if they go to work they are no longer classed as dependants and will have to apply for a visa in their own right.

[Guest Craigy]

This is something that must be researched into before coming, and this one is important too on a temp visa, a child, once 18, if they go to work they are no longer classed as dependants and will have to apply for a visa in their own right.

 

Hi Sarah, this is in fact not quite correct. I checked this one out with Immigration SA, they said if the kids came in on our visa originally, then they are still dependants when we apply for PR even if they are working full time. In other words if it's listed on temp you can list it on PR even if different. This applies to skills as well - if you do your 12 months employment for SIR and then change occupation, you can still list your original occupation when applying for PR, otherwise you have to have another skills assesment.

 

Top and bottom of it is, the kids can't go to uni. overseas students return home - this is home. Strange how even immigration didn't know about it. Spoke to fedrel MP, she said we had to be citizens, wrong!!, but then we're not worth a vote to them - why worry

[Guest sarahsmartiepants]

Hi Sarah, this is in fact not quite correct. I checked this one out with Immigration SA, they said if the kids came in on our visa originally, then they are still dependants when we apply for PR even if they are working full time. In other words if it's listed on temp you can list it on PR even if different. This applies to skills as well - if you do your 12 months employment for SIR and then change occupation, you can still list your original occupation when applying for PR, otherwise you have to have another skills assesment.

 

Top and bottom of it is, the kids can't go to uni. overseas students return home - this is home. Strange how even immigration didn't know about it. Spoke to fedrel MP, she said we had to be citizens, wrong!!, but then we're not worth a vote to them - why worry

I would make very certain of the one were 18 yr olds leave school and work full time, as they are then not classed as dependant on the family whose visa they are attacted to.

The trouble here is the arse dosent know what the elbow is doing half the time, you can ask immigration one thing and get 2 different answers!

Just like the UNI there is no way andys friends should be paying int student fees if they are PR.

sarah

[Guest Jo&Phil]

Has he thought of going to TAFE first? That can be a lot cheaper and many Diploma courses give access to 2nd year of Uni courses....... by which time you might all have your PR.

Have a look on the TAFE website to see if his preferred study area has an arrangement with one of the Unis

Good luck

[catherine.c]

Hi

We are here on a temp visa and will be applying for perm visa very shortly. Our daughter will be attending uni in feb (Uni SA). She is classed as an international student and will have to pay $18000 for the year (in 2 installments). However if we are granted our permanent residency whilst she is there they will either refund most of the first installment (if we receive it before a cut off date in March) or reduce the 2nd installment to domestic student fees if we receive PR later.

Basically if you have PR you pay domestic fees, if you are temp visa holders you are classed as international students - They do not know whether you are going to stay so would not foot the bill for skills learnt and then used in another country. BUT if your residency status changes whilst they are at uni then you can alter your payments accordingly.

 

Good Luck

Catherine

[Guest Craigy]

Hi

We are here on a temp visa and will be applying for perm visa very shortly. Our daughter will be attending uni in feb (Uni SA). She is classed as an international student and will have to pay $18000 for the year (in 2 installments). However if we are granted our permanent residency whilst she is there they will either refund most of the first installment (if we receive it before a cut off date in March) or reduce the 2nd installment to domestic student fees if we receive PR later.

Basically if you have PR you pay domestic fees, if you are temp visa holders you are classed as international students - They do not know whether you are going to stay so would not foot the bill for skills learnt and then used in another country. BUT if your residency status changes whilst they are at uni then you can alter your payments accordingly.

 

Good Luck

Catherine

 

Thanks Catherine, I will look into this and let you know the result. What is the course your daughter is doing?