The statewide international student service has been awarded $110,000 in co-funding from the NSW Government to meet the legal needs of international students across NSW.
The service received further contributions from Western Sydney University and Fragomen and McCabes law firms. The grant will fund the service for one year.
The service will officially launch on Wednesday 11th November 2015, with the commencement of regular advice evenings that will include visa and immigration advice, provided probono from Fragomen law firm.
Redfern Legal Centre (RLC) runs the only dedicated international student advice service in NSW, advising students across the state on matters such as employment problems and housing issues.
There are approximately 40,000 students in NSW who currently receive no assistance for their legal problems. StudyNSW and RLC will address the gap in access and awareness with the provision of free legal advice to all international students in NSW.
‘Our international student service was first developed after we started to see international students present to our service with significant and often intractable legal problems.’
'The specialist service caters to the unique vulnerabilities of international students navigating Australia’s laws and enforcing their rights,’ said RLC CEO, Joanna Shulman.
‘We are relieved that international students in NSW will continue to be supported through our free specialist legal service.’
‘With the relaunch of our service we’ll not only be able to continue to provide legal advice – we will also maximise our reach by focusing on preventative education for international students.’
