最新消息，好消息！托福挑战雅思成功了，今天澳洲移民部长BOWEN宣布，很快就认可三个新的语言考试，Perarson英文考试、剑桥高级英文考试CAE和托福TOEFL考试，用来申请学生签证。
长期以来雅思考试一直垄断中国留学生来澳洲留学的市场，但是由于报名困难，周期长，对留学生快速获得签证不利，所以新的考试认可后，可以加快留学生办理签证。Bowen部长说引人新的考试可以有助于打破垄断，增加竞争，提高服务质量，也给留学生更多选择。
不过目前移民签证还只认可雅思，移民部长说会根据学生签证实行的效果，考虑慢慢引人到移民签证里面。雅思垄断被打破后，留学生有了更多选择，所以是很好的消息，希望这是澳洲政府开始重视留学生利益的新起点。
澳大利亚留学网负责人黄文勇老师又查证了托福网站，发现托福考试中心ETS也宣布被澳洲移民局认可为学生签证指定考试。（http://www.ets.org/toefl/australia）。由于托福考试在中国根深蒂固了，知名度也比较大，所以我们估计托福会迅速在中国升温。
此番英文改革，说明了澳洲开始正视留学生下跌的问题，已经拉开了挽救留学市场的一系列行动的大幕。澳大利亚一直是全世界最发达的教育出口国，每年创造至少180亿澳元的收入，但是由于过去10多年宽松的移民政策被少数人滥用，政府对私校监管不严，大量印度学生涌入私校，导致了系列社会问题，同时去年澳洲大选，工党政府为了讨好选民，采取了较紧的移民政策，再加上澳元强劲，澳洲留学从2010年开始出现下跌现象。面对美国的强烈竞争，澳洲政府收到很多投诉，开始动手整理，第一步是放松签证风险等级，比如中国留学生来读本科最多只要提供2年担保金，上研究类硕士博士只要1年担保金，现在又增加了语言考试种类，打破雅思垄断，以更方便的吸收留学生。我们预计政府会进一步放松移民政策，给予留学生在澳洲更长时间的临时工作签证，让我们拭目以待吧！
Student Visa English Language Requirements
Some Student visa applicants are required to provide the results of an english language test.
To date, the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) test is one english language test option accepted by the department for Student visa purposes. The department can also accept an english language test result from test of english as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and the Occupational English Test (OET) in 14 countries where IELTS is not available.
However, the department will shortly be able to accept the following english language test options for Student visa application purposes:
- TOEFL in all countries
- Pearson Test of English Academic (Pearson) in all countries
- Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE) from Cambridge ESOL (Cambridge) in all countries.
Equivalency scores for TOEFL, Pearson and Cambridge are being finalised and will be announced shortly. Test results from these alternative test providers (or in the case of TOEFL, from applicants in countries other than the 14 previously specified) will not be accepted for Student visa purposes until after this process has been completed. This is expected to be in place later this year.
The department will continue to accept a test result from IELTS. Current testing arrangements and equivalency scores for IELTS will not change.
http://www.immi.gov.au/students/english-requirements.htm
THE IELTS English language test monopoly in the Australian visa business has been weakened.
Today the Immigration Minister Chris Bowen said those applying for student visas also would be able to use the US-based Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).
In Australia, the International English Language Testing System is operated by education broker IDP. Globally, IELTS is owned by Cambridge University, IDP and the British Council.
Under the old rules, students from key markets, such as China, had to furnish an IELTS score as proof of English proficiency to qualify for a student visa.
Mr Bowen said he expected two other tests, the Pearson Test of English Academic and the Cambridge English: Advanced tests, would get official recognition for student visas later this year.
"These additional English language test options will help to create competition in the English language testing market, while creating more test places for student visa applicants,'' he said.
"They will also provide candidates with greater choice and enable them to more quickly obtain test results needed for visa applications.''
However, most controversy about English tests has focused on their role in selecting former international students for permanent residency as skilled migrants.
This is less of an issue now that the Government has weakened the education-migration link although IELTS also remains the required test for the growth category of skilled migrants sponsored by employers.
Mr Bowen said the Government would wait to see how the new tests performed with student visas before deciding whether or not to open up other visa categories to competition.
Today's decision flows from a review of English language tests begun by Mr Bowen's department in 2008.
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