The Commonwealth Parliament’s Joint Standing Committee on Migration recommends easing immigration for international students who graduate with in-demand skills

The Committee’s report on skilled migration was released last night. Recommendations include improving access to permanent residency for graduates;

* In the top ten per cent of their course/with first class honours

* met “relevant” English language standards

* worked in a field related to study, “with a persistent skills shortage” and

* completed a course in a field with skills shortage offered by a university, “or a course run by a reputable non-university higher education provider.”

The committee also recommends that, “As a special integrity measure the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency should undertake special and regular audits of the assessment of excellence measure to ensure standards are maintained.”