1. Instrument IMMI 16/016 is made under subitem 1222(5)(c) of the Migration Regulations 1994 (the Regulations).
2. The purpose of the Instrument is for the Minister to specify the substantive temporary visas under paragraph 1222(5)(c), listed in the Schedule to the Instrument,  that are not included in the substantive temporary visas that an applicant of one of the Item 1222 Student (Temporary) (Class TU) visas who is in Australia must hold in order to meet the criteria in subitem 1222(4) of Schedule 1 to the Regulations.

On 16 June 2015, the Australian Government released the Future Directions for Streamlined Visa Processing report and announced that it would implement the report’s eight recommendations; including a simplified student visa framework based on two of the key recommendations:

1. reduce the number of student visa subclasses from eight to two; and
2. implement a new combined country and provider immigration risk framework to guide student visa evidentiary requirements and create streamlined visa application processing opportunities for education providers across all sectors.

Subclass 500 - Student and Subclass 590 – Student Guardian form part of the project to simplify the Australian Government’s student visa framework.