Australia: High school fees deterring Migrants

September 19th, 2007 • Related • Filed Under

Australian Beach

The skills shortage in New South Wales, Australia could be alleviated if the State Government stopped charging temporary residents $5000 for each child they enrolled in a public school, reports the Sydney Morning Herald.

Mervyn Bryant, the managing director of Lismore Diesel Service, said that after an Australia-wide search for a tradesman he finally found one in South Africa. “It’s nearly impossible finding a diesel fuel-injection fitter,” he said. “We found a tradesman in South Africa…but he is very concerned about the high cost of schooling his three children here.”

Mr Bryant said the cost per child was $4500 plus administration fees, which had to be paid before school started. “The fees are discouraging some prospective employees from coming,” he said.

Australia is facing a shortage of about 240,000 skilled workers in trades such as plumbing and motor mechanics.

Brendon Boyce, the director of the migrant recruitment agency Recruitglobal, said a family with three school-aged children moving to Australia and living in New South Wales could have to pay up to $14,500 in advance in school fees while receiving a wage of $41,850 a year.

A spokeswoman for the Education Minister said 457 visa holders could apply to have school fees waived.


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  1. Comment by Raymond Laffan on 3 October 2008:

    IF this is the case why should ‘temporary residents’ be subjected to the same if not greater taxes than the residents. Surley if public services tha are freely avaliable to residents but not free to Temporary Residents then this should mean that these Temporary should be exempt from paying taxes. THe Austrailian Government is esentially in my view stealing from the non residents who are working, contributing and helping to develop their ecomomy by filling in the skills shortfall currently being experienced.
    I am thinking of migrating as a skilled worker but have 4 school going children so I my be thinking twice if I have to give 20,000 out of my earnings.
    Regards
    Raymond Laffan

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