Benarkah Adult Migrant English Program di Australia is free of charge?

Sebelumnya saya sudah posting Thursday, September 27, 2007
Adult Migrant English Class
mengenai betapa gembiranya bergabung di kelas Bahasa Inggris untuk adult migrant yang konon gratisan sesuai pemberitahuan dari imigrasi dan multi culture departemen.

Niat serius tinggal di Australia baru diputuskan tahun lalu maka kami meng up grade visa dari Temporary Resident (457) ke Permanent Resident (857). Ternyata ada ketentuan baru dari imigrasi Australia bahwa untuk mendapatkan Permanent Resident visa 857 harus lulus test Bahasa Inggris IELTS. Maka kami melakukan test IELTS ke CQU Rockhampton denga biaya test AUD 310 per orang lalu sebulan kemudian Permanent visanya diterima.

Jelaslah setelah memegang visa 857 saya merasa eligible untuk belajar Bahasa Inggris gratis yang di selenggarakan oleh AMEP (Adult Migrant English Program) suatu program belajar dari Department Immigration and Citizenship pemerintah Australia. Tetapi begitu mendaftar saya ditanya dengan pertanyaan yaitu “ Do you have a copy of second payment for your visa’s applicant? Because secondary applicants who have been assessed as not having functional English will be required to pay a second installment visa application charge.”

Suatu pertanyaan aneh sebab bagaimana bisa keluar visa 857 kalau saya tidak lulus test IELTS ?

Jawabanya jelas tidak punya dan visa 857 seharusnya sudah cukup sebagai bukti bahwa saya eligible untuk belajar bahasa Inggris gratisan dan saya datang kesana untuk mendapatkan hak saya sebagai adult migrant dengan pemegang permanet visa untuk belajar bahasa inggris 510 jam dengan gratis.

Selama belum diputuskan membayar atau tidak membayar, dipersilahkan langsung placement test yang mendudukan saya dikelas akhir yaitu English Class Certificate III . Pada pertemuan ke dua diminta membayar AUD 36.10. Saya tersenyum lebar sebab wajarlah kalau sebesar itu tentunya untuk biaya administrasi tetapi tiga bulan kemudian diminta membayar sebesar AUD 180.50 sebagai biaya belajar dari bulan September 2007 sampai Desember 2007

Believe it or not, ternyata keputusannya adalah saya harus membayar biaya pendidikan sebesar total AUD 216.60 untuk 1 semester yang berakhir Desember 2007 . Untuk semester terakhirnya dimulai February 2008.

Dasar keputusan saya harus membayar adalah:

1. Tidak punya second instalment visa application payment.
   
2. Saya tidak termasuk Permanent Residents with less than functional English are generally eligible for tuition through AMEP. Karena saya lulus IELTS.
   

Dasar keputusan saya merasa berhak ikut program AMEP dengan gratis adalah: Hak sebagai pemegang visa Permanent Resident 857 dan merasa belum menguasai bahasa Inggris Australia dengan benar.

Kekacauan systemnya adalah: Pemerintah Australia menyatakan bahwa peserta kursus AMEP dengan gratis ini adalah migrant yang sudah memiliki permanet visa padahal untuk mendapatkannya permanent visa salah satunya harus lulus test bahasa Inggris IELTS. Kalau tidak lulus harus membayar second instalment visa application payment dan statusnya tentu saja masih Temporary Resident. Dimana temporary resident memang harus bayar jika ingin mengikuti kursus bahasa inggris ini.
Ketidak cocokan antara peraturan yang membolehkan gratis:
http://www.immi.gov.au/allforms/990i/amep.htm

http://www.immi.gov.au/living-in-australia/help-with-english/learn-english/index.htm#c
http://www.immi.gov.au/refugee/tpv_thv/mainstream/3.htm http://www.immi.gov.au/media/fact-sheets/96eligibility_for_settlement_services.htm

dengan peraturan yang mengharuskan membayar:
http://www.immi.gov.au/allforms/990i/amep.htm
http://www.immi.gov.au/skilled/general-skilled-migration/885/eligibility-english.htm

Kesimpulannya, saya adalah Migrant Adult Permanent Resident Australia tetapi tidak eligible belajar bahasa Inggris gratisan yang di selenggarakan oleh Pemerintah Australia karena peraturannya yang nampaknya masih mbulet. tetapi jelas dalam hal ini sangat membingungkan. Entahlah keputusan membayar pendidikan ini adalah dari TAFE sebagai penyelenggara atau Departemen Imigrasi atau Departemen Sosial Pemerintah Regional.
Jadi memang kita harus hati-hati kalau membaca dokumen walaupun berlembar-lembar harus sampai tamat dibaca dan di mengerti. Australia konon terkenal teliti dan tertib dalam hal membuat peraturan. tetapi sungguh peraturan ini membingungkan dari segi administrasi.

Semangat perjuangan 2008 adalah : ketika memasuki semester baru saya akan argue lagi untuk menawar tidak membayar sukur-sukur pembayaran semester sebelumnya dikembalikan sebab dengar gosip dari teman di Brisbane(yang tidak bersedia disebutkan namanya), mereka tidak perlu membayar untuk kelas ini.

Terlampir data-data yang mengatakan free of charge & eligible dan data-data yang mengatakan bahwa saya harus membayar.
A. Data-data yang mengatakan free of charge & eligible :
http://www.immi.gov.au/allforms/990i/amep.htm
http://www.immi.gov.au/living-in-australia/help-with-english/learn-english/index.htm#c

Am I eligible for the programme?
You may be eligible if you are a migrant or refugee settling in Australia and have been granted a permanent visa, you are at least 18 years old and you speak little or no English. Some migrants with provisional visas may also be eligible to join the programme.
You need to register with one of the AMEP service providers within three months of arriving in Australia or gaining permanent residence. You should begin classes within one year.
You can study English with the AMEP for up to 510 hours or until you reach functional English, whichever comes first.
You may be eligible for additional tuition if you have special needs because of difficult pre-migration experiences (for example torture and trauma) or limited schooling.

What will the programme cost?
There is no charge for most people who are eligible to study through the programme.

juga dihalaman ini http://www.immi.gov.au/refugee/tpv_thv/mainstream/3.htm
Requirements for family members
Like all migrants, family stream applicants are assessed on an individual basis and must be assessed against Australia’s health and character requirements. Visa application charges will apply.
There is no test for skills or English language proficiency for family stream migrants. However, the Australian Government provides free English language tuition through the Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP) to those assessed by an AMEP Service Provider after arrival as not having functional English. Children will have access to the Commonwealth funded English as a Second Language - New Arrivals program to assist their participation in school classroom activities.
Fact Sheet
http://www.immi.gov.au/media/fact-sheets/96eligibility_for_settlement_services.htm

96. Eligibility for Settlement Services
On this page
· Who is eligible for settlement services?
· Refugees and humanitarian entrants
· Family Stream migrants with low English proficiency
· Settlement programs and services
The Department of Immigration and Citizenship funds a range of settlement services aimed at assisting approved migrants and humanitarian entrants. These services focus on building self-reliance, developing English language skills and fostering connections with mainstream services as soon as possible after arrival in Australia.

Who is eligible for settlement services?
Eligibility to access the department’s settlement services depends on visa class and length of residency in Australia.
To be eligible, entrants need to be either:
· permanent residents who have arrived in the last five (5) years as humanitarian entrants or as family stream migrants with low English proficiency
· dependants of skilled migrants located in a rural or regional area, with low English proficiency.

Further information on eligible visa classes is provided below.

Dependants of skilled migrants located in rural and regional areas
The dependants of skilled migrants located in rural and regional areas – that is, the dependants of the primary visa holder – who have low English proficiency, are eligible for settlement assistance through the SGP.
Regional skilled visa subclasses eligible for some settlement assistance are: 137, 139, 495, 496 and 883, 119/857, 121/856
Holders of 457 visas and their dependants are not eligible for settlement assistance through the SGP.
Student visa classes are generally not eligible for settlement services. Dependants of visa subclass 880, (Skilled Independent Overseas Student visa), with low English proficiency are eligible for some settlement assistance through the SGP.
Settlement programs and services

Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP)
Permanent residents with less than functional English are generally eligible for tuition through AMEP. Applicants should register within three months of arrival with an AMEP service provider who will assess their eligibility for the program.See:Fact Sheet 94 - English Language Tuition for Adult MigrantsLearning English with the Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP)

juga di buklet local

B. Data yang mengatakan bahwa harus membayar

Adult Migrant English Programme (AMEP) Costs
http://www.immi.gov.au/allforms/990i/amep.htm

All fees and charges are in Australian dollars (AUD).
User charging applies to AMEP English tuition. A flat annual administrative charge is required for the following Australian residents who arrived in Australia after 1 July 1991 and applied to:

• migrate before 1 January 1993


• change their resident status before 1 January 1993


• migrate after 1 January 1993 and were issued with a visa before 1 March 1993


• change their resident status after 1 January 1993 and were granted permanent residence before 1 March 1993.

The charge is also payable by holders of ‘gazetted’ temporary visas.

Dan http://www.immi.gov.au/skilled/general-skilled-migration/885/eligibility-english.htm

On this page
· Definition of English levels
· What is IELTS?
· Skills assessments and English
· Evidence to attach to your application

English requirements for secondary applicants
Secondary applicants, aged 18 years or over, who are included in your application must provide evidence of their current level of English.
Secondary applicants who have been assessed as not having functional English will be required to pay a second instalment visa application charge.
This payment will entitle them to English language tuition in Australia to achieve functional English language ability. Applicants who are required to pay this charge will receive information about the Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP) and where they can receive tuition when their visa is granted.See: Learning English with the Adult Migrant English Programme (AMEP)
Note: The full amount of this charge must be paid before your visa can be granted. However, you should not pay this charge until requested to do so by the department.See: Professionals and Other Skilled Migrants