Many people want tomigrate to Australia— not just for themselves, but for their families, especially thenext generation. Australian citizens and PR holders can access Australia’sfree education resources, which is a huge drawcard. Obtaining a PR visa in Australia takes both money and time. During the migration preparation period, many people haven’t yet received their PR and worry they cannot access free or discounted education benefits — bringing their children over for school would be a significant expense, so they often leave their children behind temporarily.

But actually!

holders of provisional PR visas such as the Subclass 491 or Subclass 820

or holders of temporary visas such as the Subclass 500 or Subclass 485

in certain regions and circumstances may also be eligible toaccess education benefits

We can’t help but recommendQueensland!

Many people assume that, apart from PR holders and citizens, only holders of the Subclass 188 investor visa can access Australia’s free education benefits. In fact, children of many temporary visa holders do have the opportunity to access free education in Australia! Surprised? This article introduces Queensland’s top public schools and which temporary visas allow children to attend school in Australia for free.

Australia · What is a public school?

Australian public schools are government-funded and government-managed, with teaching staff and curriculum overseen by the State Department of Education.Apart from a small number of selective schools with their own admissions criteria, the quality of education is broadly consistent.In terms of facilities — classrooms, sporting grounds, libraries, swimming pools and the like — there may be some gap compared to private schools. Similar to China, Australian public schools enrol students based on their catchment zone (certain selective public schools do not use catchment zones and base admission entirely on academic results and interview performance),and it is worth noting that top-ranked public schools often run selective-stream classes based on each child’s strengths and developmental potential.

The following are some of Queensland’s highest-ranked primary schools:

For public schoolinternational studentsthe weekly tuition fees range from as little as $250 to as much as $350,which adds up to AUD $10,000–$20,000 per year

But don’t worry — Queensland offers children of many non-PR visa holders,the opportunity toattend public school for free (policies are subject to change; please confirm with the relevant official authority)

「491/494 820/309」

Provisional PR visas

Subclass 491 and 494 regional visas

The Subclass 491 and 494 have become the mainstream ‘provisional PR’ visas. After three years, holders who meet the requirements can transition to the Subclass 191 Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa. Let’s take a look at whether Subclass 491 and 494 holders in each state are eligible for Australia’s education benefits!

InNew South Walesthe Subclass 491 and 494 visas donotentitle holders’ children to free schooling.

Similarly, inthe Northern Territory and Victoriathe Subclass 491 and 494 visas alsodo notattract this benefit.

South Australiaalsoonly qualifies under the following visa categoriesto access Australia’s free education benefit:

Tasmania— children of Subclass 491 and 494 holders are eligible fora 50% tuition fee reduction

But only inQueensland,do Subclass 491 and 494 applicants receive the same entitlements as Australian PR holders or citizens! If you hold a Queensland Subclass 491 or 494 visa, your children can also access free education in Queensland!

If you currently hold a Subclass 491 visa in another state

or are considering applying for a Queensland Subclass 491/494, feel free to get in touch

Subclass 820 and 309 Partner visas

Beyond student visas and work visas, partner visas also carry this free education benefit. After all, like the 491/494, they are provisional PR visas,and the sponsoring partner is an Australian PR or citizen,so there’s not much more to say. Partner visas fall into two main categories: the Subclass 820 (onshore) and the Subclass 309 (offshore). Regardless of which partner visa you hold, your children can attend all Queensland public schools for free!

「500 485 407 408」

Temporary visas

Subclass 500 Student visa

Completely unexpected — the Subclass 500 student visa also gives children the opportunity to access free schooling! While Subclass 500 student visa holders are generally younger people, some older students who have started families also choose to continue their studies or research abroad, and they tend to bring their families with them to Australia.

Ifyou are studying a PhD in Queenslandyour children can attend any public school in Queensland tuition-free. Beyond that, if you have been awarded a full scholarship by the Australian Government or your institution, your children can also access free education for the duration of your visa.

Subclass 485 Graduate Work visa

Here is another surprising temporary visa — the Subclass 485 allows holders’ children to attend public school for free. The Subclass 485 is a two- to four-year work visa available to students who have completed a qualification in Australia. Some applicants use the 485 to gain more time in Australia to work, study, and sit exams in order to accumulate points towards PR; others use it to build work experience before returning home.

And inQueensland, if you hold a Subclass 485 visa, eligible children listed as secondary applicants can attend school in Queensland without paying tuition fees,and access Australia’s free education benefit! Pretty tempting, isn’t it!

Subclass 407 visa and Subclass 408 visa

The Subclass 407is a Training visa, designed for people who want to undertake occupational training or classroom-based professional development in Australia.For applicants who don’t yet meet the work experience requirements for the Subclass 482 or 186, it is a very useful visa for bridging that gap and accumulating experience.

Holders of the Subclass 408 visaalso have the opportunity for their children to access free education,but this applies only to theResearch Activities stream,The currently more commonAustralian Government Endorsed Events (COVID) stream is not yet eligible for this benefit.

Both of these visas allow the whole family to live in Australia for a period of time. And in Queensland, the children of applicants on both visas can attend school for free!

That’s an overview for today. In addition to the temporary visas mentioned above, other visa categories — such as employer-sponsored visas — can also attract similar benefits. As Australia’s third-largest state, which is also the most popular destination for internal migrants (such as those relocating from New South Wales), Queensland — with its pleasant climate and reasonable property prices — offers these generous benefits with great sincerity!Are you thinking about migrating? Why not consider Queensland!

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Year-end backlog down by 400,000! Is transitioning temporary visa holders to permanent residency the focus of reform?Click‘Original link’ — Weekly Migration Bulletin (video edition)

Children of Subclass 491/485/500 and other visa holders can access free early-years education in Queensland! Is the 491 limited to Queensland? Migration parents must not miss this!

Skilled migration: 67% of technical stream visas granted onshore; employer-sponsored visas reign supreme in NSW and Victoria

Western Australian state nomination invitations continue, with ample quota!

A civil engineer’s step-by-step journey to a happy migration and study abroad outcome

A civil engineer’s step-by-step journey to a happy migration and study abroad outcome

A civil engineer’s step-by-step journey to a happy migration and study abroad outcome

A civil engineer’s step-by-step journey to a happy migration and study abroad outcome

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