One increasingly asked question by most of the subclass 489 visa holders living in Australia is about the school fees to pay if their children are going to a government school. Most of the migrants in Australia misunderstood the situation as they are not offered with a clear answer to this question.

In an attempt to answer this question, here we are presenting this blog about the school fees of government schools for migrants in Australia.

Most of the subclass 489 visa holders in Australia with dependent children prefer to send their kids to a government school for education. We, therefore, made an inquiry to know the details related and to get to the bottom of the truth behind this topic.

As per us, most of the confusion has occurred because certain kinds of temporary residency visas, mostly the employer-sponsored subclass 457 visas, do need the payment of school fees if children of the main visa applicant are attending the school.

The subclass 489 or Skilled Regional Sponsored visa is a temporary residency visa. But at the same time, it is also a provisional visa where it is considered to be a permanent or precursor residency visa, most commonly falling under the category of subclass 887.

In this context, the 489 visa is closer to the provisional business skill visas, and hence, school fees are usually not payable.

Here is the information that we have received from the numerous Territory and State Governments.

Victoria

It classifies the visa 489 dependents as fee exempt and so they have to pay the fees announced or set by individual government school. It does not include the fees to DET International Education Division. Here, the enrolment is made directly to the school.

New South Wales

As a holder of 489 visas, you don’t have to pay the education or administration fees. They need to have an authority to enroll the student to the school before they are able to begin their school.

Queensland

If you as well as your family is traveling to Australia on 489 visas, then your dependent is eligible to enroll at the Queensland Government School on the basis of the domestic enrolment process. Hence, I suggest that you must contact a school that is based on your residence’s place in Queensland, as there are numerous Queensland Government Schools that follow strict catchment area policies. This implies that families must live within a specific radius of the school to stay eligible for the enrolment process.

You don’t have to pay the normal tuition fees of an international student, which are processed through the central office of Education Queensland International.

Here, the school you decide to enroll at will discuss fees linked to the enrolment with you directly.

Northern Territory

The dependents of 489 visa holders will not incur international tuition fees at the Northern Territory Government schools.

Western Australia

Western Australia follows the Department of Educational Enrolment policy that states the parents of dependent children holding the subclass 489 skilled regional sponsored visas go for local enrolment entitlements and pay no tuition fees.

Such students have to follow the same enrolment entitlements as local students and possess the eligibility for student-centered funding.

Every region in Australia has certain rules and regulations to follow in context to paying government school fees for dependents of subclass 489 visas holder. Hence, depending on which area of Australia you live in, you need to follow the specific rules in this context. If you fail to do so, then you can end up in a problematic situation.

If still, you have any doubts, then schedule an appointment and contact us today.