Immigration (Education) Amendment (Expanding Access to English Tuition) Bill 2020 [“the Bill”] has been introduced in the House of Representatives on 29 October 2020 to amend the Immigration (Education) Act 1971, and to support migrants to learn Australia’s national language.
The Bill proposes to expand eligibility for migrants to access English tuition to bridge the gap for migrants who have either exhausted their tuition hours without reaching the level of vocational English, or are ineligible for the program.
The following changes are proposed by the Bill:
- 510 hours limit on person’s entitlement to English tuition be removed
- Upper limit for eligibility to access English tuition be amended to the higher level of vocational English, instead of functional English
- Statutory time limits for registering, commencing and completing English tuition be removed for specified persons
- English tuition to certain visa holders or prospective visa applicants be provided outside Australia
The Bill is introduced in the Parliament for first reading. The provisions will not be in effect until the Bill receives the Royal Assent.
The Hon Alan Tudge MP, Acting Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs said, “The Immigration (Education) Amendment (Expanding Access to English Tuition) Bill 2020 will see one of the most significant reforms to the Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP) in the program's history. It is the first part of the Morrison Government's three-part plan to make English tuition more accessible, ensure better quality outcomes and encourage greater participation.”
To access the full text of the Bill, click here.
