Student switchers and the regulation of residency : the interface of the individual and Australia’s immigration regime

Shanthi Robertson

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    58 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    Since 1998, policy changes to Australia’s skilled migration program have favoured international students as potential skilled migrants. This has included legislation allowing holders of an Australian tertiary qualification to apply for permanent residency (PR) onshore within 6 months of completing their study. This process, dubbed ‘student switching’ (McLaughlan and Salt, 2002) has created a distinct migration process through which increasing numbers of international students use their study in Australia as a pathway to residency. In this paper, I will address how individuals experience the bureaucratic processes of application for PR, in that the granting or denying of visas involves the interface between government and individual. I will explore how individuals’ interactions with the power of the state as gatekeeper impact on their experiences as transnational subjects, and their social positioning within the new society.
    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)103-115
    Number of pages13
    JournalPopulation, Space and Place
    Volume17
    Issue number1
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 2011

    Keywords

    • Australia
    • emigration and immigration
    • international students
    • residence requirements

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