A longstanding pillar of the ELICOS sector, PICE has closed its doorways after greater than 25 years of service.
A discover from The Tuition Safety Service (TPS) confirmed that PICE was positioned into liquidation and ceased working on June 16. The TPS stated it’s working to help the worldwide college students affected by the closure.
Ian Aird, CEO of English Australia, of which PICE was a member for greater than 20 years, commented on the difficult surroundings confronted by ELICOS suppliers like PICE and the explanations behind its closure.
“Regardless of PICE’s exemplary popularity for high quality, the improve within the scholar visa price to $1,600, the report excessive scholar visa utility refusal charges during the last 18 months, and the visa utility processing delays have meant that PICE have been unable to draw sufficient enrolments to be financially sustainable,” stated Aird.
The rise within the scholar visa price to $1,600, the report excessive scholar visa utility refusal charges during the last 18 months, and the visa utility processing delays have meant that PICE have been unable to draw sufficient enrolments to be financially sustainable
Ian Aird, English Australia
Aird stated that since its founding in 2002, PICE director John Paxton, alongside together with his staff of extremely devoted ELICOS professionals, welcomed, served and taught tens of hundreds of scholars from the world over.
For over 12 years, Paxton was a board member of English Australia and the state delegate representing Western Australia’s ELICOS sector.
“English Australia’s board and secretariat are deeply saddened by this information. John and the PICE staff have been integral to our neighborhood and our efforts for 20 years,” continued Aird.
English Australia can be working with Paxton and the staff, together with the TPS, to help impacted college students, with a scholar data session being held on the PICE campus.
Aird additionally supplied his ideas to “all these pals and colleagues throughout the sector” who’ve misplaced their jobs over latest months and urged stakeholders to succeed in out to the height physique physique, and to at least one one other, to present and get help.”
The closure follows the shutdown of fellow ELICOS suppliers IH Sydney, which additionally put down rising prices of visa charges as contributing components to its closure.
Extra just lately, The Language Academy, with campuses in Gold Coast and Sydney, ceased operations after greater than 10 years.
ELICOS stakeholders have beforehand instructed The PIE Information in regards to the “speedy and crushing” influence of the 2024 visa price improve on the ELICOS sector, with the sector struggling an throughout the board decline in English language enrolments of fifty%.
