Pending Australian visa applications from Indians discussed at bilateral forum: Union Education Minister

NEW DELHI: The pendency of Australian visa applications from Indians has been discussed again at a bilateral forum, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said on Thursday.

The minister discussed the issue with his Australian counterpart Jason Clare, who is on a visit to India till March 5. "After the COVID-19 pandemic, the visa process for students and the workforce had significantly slowed down. Last year, the Australian government assured us to add more manpower and enhance the ease of the process," Pradhan told reporters on the sidelines of an event here.

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"The pendency of four lakh visa applications from Indians has been reduced in the last five months. Still a sizeable number is pending. The issue was again discussed at the bilateral forum when we spoke of student mobility," he added. Clare is leading a delegation of Australian higher education leaders to promote institutional partnerships and boost the collaboration between the two countries. His visit builds on Pradhan's trip to Australia last year.

"The Modi government's National Education Policy has a target to get 50 per cent of young Indians into higher education and vocational education by 2035. That's nation changing for India, and a genuine opportunity for Australian education providers to do more to collaborate with India," Clare said. Jason Clare and Dharmendra Pradhan will be signing the "broadest and most favourable recognition agreement" to enhance student mobility".