VYAS, Immanuel Hirendra Kumar (2025) Cash Cows or Valuable Immigrants? The Games of International Management and Commerce University Students in Australia. Can Everyone Win? Other Degree thesis, Victoria University.

Abstract

This study examined the efficiency of the Australian skilled migration policies from 2010 to 2022, to determine what policy changes were favourable for international students studying management and commerce courses at Australian universities to acquire Australian permanent residency or create pathways for them to acquire Australian permanent residence. The research explored the effects of the general skilled migration policies during this period, which hindered the ability of this identified student cohort for both, procuring employment in the Australian workforce in their area of study and/or acquiring Australian permanent residency. The research design examined the education migration nexus with the 2 main stakeholders being identified as the international student cohort and the successive Australian governments during the period that the research covered. The overarching Research Question is: What policy reforms to the Australian General Skilled Migration program can improve the Australian permanent residency pathways for international students studying management and commerce courses at Australian universities? Four subsequent questions were tested as part of the research design to answer the overarching research question. The study used the content analysis methodology for data collection from the available academic literature, government sanctioned reviews and reports, government statistics collection and independent reviews and reports. The prisoner’s dilemma concept of the game theory research methodology formed the theoretical framework to disclose the avenues available for the student cohort in this research immediately after the conclusion of their studies and two years post-graduation for Australian permanent residency. Key findings indicate that international students do not get a return on investment for their tertiary studies based on the lack of relevant industry related content in the work 2 integrated learning component of the curriculum taught, the misalignment of the past and existing skilled occupation list and the unnecessary and avoidable hurdles for securing employment in the Australian workforce based on the limited duration of the post-graduation visa. The findings of this research have important implications for the general skilled migration program policy makers, to align the skilled occupation list with the Australian labour market needs and amend the post-study work arrangements for a portion of international graduates from Australian universities as outlined in the 2021 Inquiry into Australia's Skilled Migration Program (Joint Standing Committee on Migration, 2021) and to provide a clear pathway to Australian permanent residency for international students that was a commitment from the Parkinson Review and a recommendation from the Australian Universities Accord (O'Kane, et al., 2023). This longitudinal study of the general skilled migration policies introduced during the past decade and as covered in this research, based on the recommendations of the various government sanctioned reviews conducted in this period, enhances knowledge by providing an analysis of its impact on international students from Australian universities, post-graduation. This research challenges the efficacy of the existing general skilled migration policies from the standpoint of international students, by providing recommendations to the issues that emerged from the findings, to maintain Australia as an attractive study destination of choice and for the sustainability of the Australian higher education sector. It argues that international students educated in Australia make excellent migrants and should have a pathway to permanent residence rather than a tortuous maze.

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