Previously, the problem was thought to be confined mainly to the
private vocational educational sector, with private colleges and
language schools being the preferred target of people-smuggling
operations. But the report, obtained under Freedom of Information
laws by The Australian, shows universities and vocational colleges
are increasingly being exploited to place bogus students.
In the 10 months to April last year, higher education accounted
for 39 per cent of student visas refused where fraud was involved.
But it was higher in the 12 months to June 2008, where higher
education accounted for more than half - 53 per cent - of such
cases. "The majority of fraud risks stem from higher education and
vocational education and training," the report found.
It said Australian immigration and education officers in
diplomatic posts were having to work with foreign governments' law
enforcement agencies regarding "increased levels of organised
fraud". This amounts to an admission that organised crime is
targeting the student visa to shoehorn illegal migrants into the
country as fee-paying students.
The Department of Immigration and Citizenship declined to say
whether it knew organised crime was using education and migration
agents for migration fraud. "The department is concerned with any
type of visa fraud, whether it involves overseas organised crime
elements or not," a DIAC spokesman said.
The report identified 15 types of fraud used to circumvent DIAC
document checks aimed at establishing prospective students' bona
fides, especially compulsory character, financial, English, health,
education and college attendance requirements. "Enhanced integrity
measures" were being applied to applicants from India, Mauritius,
Nepal, Brazil, Zimbabwe and Pakistan, DIAC said.
In ons land zijn vergelijkbare signalen opgepikt, mede in het
kader van het terreurpreventiebeleid. Het CDA stelde recent nog Kamervragen daarover naar aanleiding van een
analyse op ScienceGuide. Het
kabinet heeft de Kamer inmiddels laten weten dat de beantwoording
van deze vragen meer tijd vergt vanwege de noodzaak onderzoek naar
deze materie te plegen en interdepartementaal overleg te voeren
over de beantwoording ervan.