Although most Australian States allow the children of Temporary Resident Visa holders to attend State schools without payment of International Student Fees, the NSW and ACT governments have chosen to impose fees on this group.
Temporary Resident Visas under this condition include the commonly used 457 Long Stay Visa.
NSW
The 2010 annual fees for International Education in Sydney and New South Wales:
- $4,500 Years K – 6 Primary School
- $4,500 Years 7 – 10 Junior High School
- $5,500 Years 11 – 12 Senior High School
Source: www.detinternational.nsw.edu.au
ACT
The 2010 annual fees for International Education in Canberra and the Australian Capital Territory:
- $ 9,320 Years K-6
- $12,500 Years 7-10
- $13,900 Years 11 and 12
Source: www.det.act.gov.au
Charges similar to the above, may also be payable when 457 Visa holders etc., elect to use Private schooling, and those charges are in addition to the Private school fees that are charged by the school itself.
The reason for this is that the private school will NOT get the normal subsidy for those children from those two State Governments.
As at September 2009, all other Australian States treat Temporary Resident Visa holders the same as Permanent Resident Visa holders, in relation to state school fees.
TAFE and further education is not treated the same, and most States will charge for that.
Loading ...
This fees which are charged to the 457 visa holders is in consideration that their parents are earning a good amount of money to afford largly.
Is Australian govt is verifying or keeping the smalest logic in their mind as what should be an avarage salary for a person to afford these fes for there kids. Also does the govt has brains if a person is having more than one kids then what should be his tax benefit and minimum salary should be. Is the Oz govt taking the responsibility of verifying the status of visa salary in actual before granting the visa with consideration of survival
?
This is a complete nonesence and adment attitude of the OZ govt to levy on the people with 457 visa for education and sheer discrimation of racism.
Racism on who ?
These costs are charged, not by the Australian Federal Government, but by only TWO of the Eight states and territories in Australia.
The education charge isn’t made on any ‘selected’ race, (hence not racism), but on any ‘foreigners’ that are here on temporary visas, ie 457 visa holders.
These two states do not verify anyone’s income for this, as they do not consider that ANY foreigner with a normal temporary visa should get the benefit of a subsidised Australian education.
To call this racism, is a bit far fetched.
As long as the Australian government doesn’t charge the same tax on the ‘foreigners’ income for the “subsided” Australian education. Oh, wait, you mean the foreigner still pays taxes but does not get the benefits? Hmm, you may want to reconsider who is subsidizing who.
The tax on âforeignersâincome, is indeed an interesting topic on it’s own, especially for 457 Visa holders.
Many of these Visa holders pay a lot less tax than residents, by way of the “LAFHA’ system.
This Living Away From Home allowance means that many people can reduce their tax liability by deducting living costs (Rent, Food, etc), from their taxable income, before tax is calculated. This can save them many thousands of dollars in tax.
I saw one example recently where a person on $110,000 could save $15,000 in tax in each year, by using LAFHA to its fullest allowable claim.
Even just a basic LAFHA claim for a couple with one child, paying $300pw rent is worth $11,000 in reduced tax payments, on a $110k income. That is with only claiming food and rent as a tax deduction.
You can see more on this at: http://www.britzinoz.com/uk-australia/information/lafha-living-away-from-home-allowance
It is true that the tax benefits from LAFHA can be considerable. The flip side is that the cost of school fees, health care, insurance, the requirement to leave the country within 28 days due to loss of job etc. make up for this. I know as I’m on a 457 with LAFHA and am applying for PR as the benefits IMO don’t outweigh the costs.
John, you are now in the tricky period; you have the disadvantages of the 457 visa, until you get PR approved, but from the date of PR application you are no longer eligible for LAFHA.
I do feel for those in NSW and ACT, who have to pay the school fees, especially when the other States allow that as free education.