The Genuine Temporary Entrant (GTE) requirement is placed on all student visa applications and can prove to be a difficult hurdle to jump for many applicants, especially those from high-risk countries.
What is the GTE requirement?
The GTE requirement must be met by all applicants applying for an Australian student visa, as well as other temporary visas. In order to satisfy this requirement, you must demonstrate and provide evidence that you genuinely intend to stay in Australia temporarily, and that you do not intend to remain in Australia permanently, or for an extended period of time.
What is taken into consideration when assessing GTE for student visas?
The Department of Home Affairs does not make findings on the GTE requirement based on one factor alone, but on the applicant as a whole. The following factors offer a broad view of what the Department may consider when assessing GTE for student visas:
- Your Australian immigration history;
- The value of your chosen course to your future;
- Your circumstances, both personal and in your home country (or country of residence);
- If you are a dependent on a student visa, the intentions of your parent, legal guardian or spouse;
- Any other matter relevant to your intention to study in Australia.
How can I improve my chances of satisfying the GTE requirement?
- Be realistic in your statements
This is one of the most important aspects to acing the GTE requirement. Case officers see so many of these statements every day from potential students, and they can easily tell the difference when someone is being unrealistic, or exaggerating.
Providing an explanation of a job offer 2-3 years into the future is unrealistic, even for people who live in Australia and especially if the course you are looking to study is at a vocational level.
- Explain your circumstances in your home country
Showing you have strong ties to your home country goes a long way in proving to your case officer that you genuinely intend to return home after your temporary stay in Australia. In order to show this, you must ensure you explain your personal circumstances in your home country.
Think outside the box in how you can portray this message in your statement. Perhaps a specific event is coming up in the future that require your attendance, like a family member’s wedding, the birth of a niece, or even training for a future employment opportunity.
Mentioning this in your statement will create the impression that you have a desire to return home and will therefore increase your chances of satisfying the GTE requirement.
The case officer assessing your application will also be interested in the economic situation in your home country. This is especially prevalent for applications from ‘high-risk’ countries, such as Africa, South America, Eastern Europe and Asian countries.
One of the more common reasons for refusals are that, “based on the economic conditions in your home country, you would have little incentive to return”. This is yet another reason why it is so crucial that you show you have enough cause to return home.
- Explain your immigration history
This is especially important if you have a complex and disjointed immigration history in Australia. Explain the previous visas you have obtained to Australia, explain the countries you have visited in the past and show the case officer you have previously been compliant with the visa conditions that have been placed on you.
If you have ever overstayed a visa or been refused visas in the past, explain the reasons surrounding these past events and how you have changed since then.
Generally, if you have already applied for many temporary visas in the past, you risk a greater chance of refusal and will need to show you are not just studying course after course to remain living in Australia. In these cases, your GTE statement is crucial for the success of your application.
- What is the future value of the course to you?
By coming to Australia to study you will be spending a significant amount of money and time to invest in your future. The Department will want to be satisfied that you will benefit from your time spent studying in Australia and that the course you are undertaking is valuable to your future.
Explain what the course will allow you to do once completed, what job opportunities will it provide, or how it could possibly lead to higher qualifications in the future.
- Explain why you chose to study in Australia rather than your home country
Why is studying this particular course in Australia so different from studying the same course back home? Or maybe this course is not offered back in your home country? Is the format of the course different in Australia?
Is the education provider in the industry different to those back home? These are the considerations and insights the Department are interested in when looking at your choice to study in Australia.
- Provide documentary evidence
Your statement needs to be backed up by documentary evidence to support the claims you make. Try to provide as much evidence as possible and think outside of the box when it comes to showing your ties back in your home country.
- Engage professional assistance to ace your application
Many potential students make the mistake of providing a generic, simplified GTE statement with their applications. In doing so, students are putting themselves at high risk for refusal, as the whole statement will be given little weight in assessing the GTE criteria.
Engaging in professional assistance will help ensure your GTE statement is unique according to your own circumstances and is backed up relevant supporting evidence. It will also ensure you do not waste your time and money on an application that is doomed to fail.
Results Migration are a team of experienced migration lawyers and registered migration agents who specialise in student visa applications. We can help tailor your student visa application and GTE statement to ensure you are set up for success.
If you are thinking about applying for an Australian student visa or want to discuss your options, call Results Migration on 1800 808 717 to book in your free consultation today!
