MELBOURNE, July 19: Not only were Indians hit by a series of assaults in Australia in 2009, they also suffered from solutions devised to the problem when visa rules were tightened, plunging many a students’ future into uncertainty.
A high level taskforce has observed that thousands of Indian students were affected after the attack crisis that forced the Australian government to announce tighter visa rules, including axing the then popular courses like cookery and hairdressing from its occupational list.
The Australia Indian Institute (AII) report ‘Beyond the Lost Decades’ also quoted an unidentified Indian diplomat as saying he had seen reports of “attempted suicides and overstaying of visas by young Indians stranded by the visa changes”.
It pinpointed that ‘not only were Indians victims of a higher than average rate of assault and robbery on international students in Australia in 2009-10, they also suffered from the solution to the problem’.
“The crisis provoked a wave of inquiries and legislation, which plunged tens of thousands of Indian students into further uncertainty.
“Some provisions were made to help those affected – visa were extended for upto 18 months while students considered their future,” it said.
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