DOWN UNDER ON THE RISE
Mamta Thakkar, a marketing professional, is busy packing her bags to fly to Australia — a destination which had lost its luster on the heels of the spate of racial violence incidents against Indian students in 2009. “The targeted attacks on Indians in Australia have stopped and hence it no longer deters me,” said Thakkar, who plans to do MBA there and has opted for a work permit after completion of studies.
Lure of work opportunities is beckoning aspirants once again, and Australia is again gaining popularity among foreign-bound Indian students. Many like Thakkar are turning their gaze Down Under after the Australian immigration authorities introduced lax rules on work permits last November for overseas students having studied in Australia for two years.
According to the Australian High Commission, “Going by the latest data of the last six months, the percentage increase in Indian students’ applications is 105.1%.”
Shekhar Nambiar, spokesperson for the Australian High Commission, said: “During the six-month period from 1 July, 2011 to 31 December, 2011, a total of 5,342 student visa applications were lodged offshore by Indian nationals. In comparison, a total of 2,605 student visa applications were lodged during the same period in 2010. This represents a year-over-year 105.1% increase in the six-month period in 2011.”
