Latest news with #RobertHoffman
Canberra Times
6 days ago
- Business
- Canberra Times
After years of backsliding, the ADF is growing again. What's behind the recruitment uptick?
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Your exclusive preview of David Pope's latest cartoon. Going out or staying in? Find out what's on. Get the editor's insights: what's happening & why it matters. Catch up on the news of the day and unwind with great reading for your evening. Grab a quick bite of today's latest news from around the region and the nation. Don't miss updates on news about the Public Service. As it happens Today's top stories curated by our news team. Also includes evening update. More from Defence This article first appeared on The Conversation Robert Hoffman is a professor of economics at the University of Tasmania. But as of July 1, the full-time ADF workforce was at 61,189 people . Given the force's target is 69,000 by the 2030s, there's some work still left to do. The range of measures - targeted advertising, better pay and conditions, or eligibility criteria - make it hard to tell which did the work. It may be a combination of all of them. What does all this tell us? As none of the underlying reasons why young Australians serve have changed since last year, it seems the ADF's recruitment initiative has hit the mark. He also suggested the biggest driver was embedding ADF recruitment adverts into the media frequented by the target group of 16-25 year olds: TikTok and video games. According to Keogh , this generated some 500 extra applications. There were more measures, such as improving the processing of applications, and allowing citizens of New Zealand, Canada, the US and the UK to apply. These measures also explain why, as more new soldiers were recruited, fewer existing ones quit: attrition fell from about 10 per cent down to 7.9 per cent. This too has been done: better pay, study, housing and health support are all part of a A$600 million government package . Another suggestion was to make the ADF more competitive in the " war for talent " in an increasingly fierce labour market. This made sense as military roles are becoming more diverse . With fewer soldiers on the front line, there's less need for high-level mental and physical stamina. The ADF lowered medical requirements in 2024 . This included requirements around acne, outed as " stupid " by Defence Personnel Minister Matt Keogh. One example is mental and physical fitness standards. Commentators have argued mental health concerns can stop young people signing up. And stringent requirements mean less than 10 per cent of applicants are accepted . Military recruitment depends on the employer as much as on the employee. Has the ADF done something to make service more attractive? It seems it has. So what is it then? A recent survey from UNSW researchers , however, suggests that while these perceptions matter, there is limited awareness of the commissions and the issues that caused them. It is conceivable these softened the ADF's reputation in the direction of Gen Z , signalling strong ethics and transparency. It also could be that the image of the military has improved. We have had two high-profile commissions: the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide and the Brereton Afghanistan Inquiry. It's also unlikely fundamental values such as nationalism can change quickly enough to explain the sudden recruitment boost. This is not likely to be the case in Australia. If anything, there are indications to the contrary . Former army chief Peter Leary blamed poor recruitment and retention on falling national pride. One possibility is young people's attitudes. The US Army has singled out renewed patriotism among youth as a reason. Typically, military service is a steady gig in bad economic times. But price rises have been largely reined in, unemployment remains relatively low and consumer confidence has improved. Economic factors are unlikely to explain what is going on. Alternatively, we can look closer to home to see what's behind the recruitment boost. Our own security challenges - such as China's growing international assertiveness - are therefore not likely to be a driver here. For many young Germans, for example, the Ukraine war is deeply and personally affecting . Yet there is no evidence it's responsible for increased sign-ups. So are people joining the armed forces in response to geopolitical issues? Not necessarily. And Canada's defence forces have just seen a 10-year high in recruitment , up by a staggering 55 per cent. In the United Kingdom , there was a 19 per cent rise in people joining the regular armed forces. The German Bundeswehr reported a year-on-year recruitment uptick of 28 per cent in late July. This year, the United States army met its target of recruiting 61,000 troops annually several months early. Looking at comparable countries with volunteer defence forces, it turns out Australia is not alone in rising interest in military careers. We can make sense of the Australian figures by eliminating some possible explanations. The first is the idea that international conflict is driving recruitment. Economic factors play a role too. Low unemployment and a perception of better opportunities, work conditions and future prospects in the private sector also contribute. They also face greater mental health challenges that - rightly or wrongly - make many feel unsuited to serve their country. Some of reasons are cultural: young Australians today - those in Gen Z - have more circumspect attitudes to nation and duty compared to previous generations. We were commissioned by the ADF to examine declining recruitment. As of June last year, only 80 per cent of the 69,000 personnel needed to meet future challenges had signed up. We wanted to know why. Graduates at Duntroon Military College in Canberra in 2021. Picture by Karleen Minney In short, the recruitment drive is working. So what has changed to explain this turnaround? In order to maintain it and be better prepared for the security challenges Australia faces, we need to know what's behind it. Applications were also up by a whopping 28 per cent. Recruitment has risen by 17 per cent over last year's figure. This exceeds planned growth and reverses a steady decline over the past 15 years, albeit still falls around 1000 people short of the financial year target of 8105. Given talk of chronic shortages and a perennial recruitment crisis in Western volunteer forces, it's somewhat surprising to see there's finally been some progress. All other regional websites in your area The digital version of Today's Paper All articles from our website & app Login or signup to continue reading Subscribe now for unlimited access. The Australian Defence Force (ADF) has been facing a recruitment crisis for years. A lack of young people wanting to join has prompted a variety of responses from the force, including opening eligibility to some foreigners . 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Yahoo
11-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
More than 100 international students' immigration statuses revoked across Texas universities
AUSTIN (Texas Tribune) — At least 122 international students at Texas universities have had their legal status changed in a wave of removals from a federal database that have swept across the state and the nation, according to university officials and media reports. The students learned in recent days their visas were revoked or their immigration status was marked as terminated in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System, or SEVIS database. Visa revocations prevent re-entering the U.S. but do not immediately end an individual's status. SEVIS removals do, limiting students' options and causing a much more immediate effect. As of Thursday, the following universities have confirmed the number of international students who have been affected: University of North Texas: 27 University of Texas at Arlington: 27 Texas A&M University: 23 University of Texas at Dallas: 19 University of Texas Rio Grande Valley: 9 Texas Woman's University: 4 Texas Tech University: 3 The University of Texas at Austin, where police arrested dozens for protesting the Israel-Hamas war, and the University of Houston told the Houston Chronicle on Wednesday that some of their international students had a change in their immigration status. Both declined to say how many. KFOX14 also reported on Wednesday that 10 University of Texas at El Paso students had their visas revoked. Robert Hoffman, an immigration lawyer with offices in Houston and Bryan, said SEVIS removal also can affect employment eligibility and the status of dependents like spouses and children, whose ability to stay in the U.S. depends on the primary status holder. 'Unfortunately, these kinds of terminations kind of short-circuit due process by not allowing the student the opportunity to hear the specifics of their charges or defend themselves,' Hoffman said. Neither university nor government officials have made it clear how students are being chosen for removal. However, the Department of Homeland Security released a statement Wednesday saying it would begin screening international students' social media for 'antisemitic' content. DHS' statement cited two executive orders from President Donald Trump, described by the White House as aiming to crack down on 'the explosion of anti-Semitism on our campuses and in our streets,' referencing pro-Palestine protests on college campuses. Several Texas universities, including UNT and UTD, were sites of similar protests. During a Faculty Senate meeting at UNT on Wednesday, Faculty Senate Vice Chair William Joyner said he had heard from the provost about 16 students whose statuses were removed from SEVIS. A university spokesperson later confirmed to the Tribune that number had risen to 27. No other information was provided, Joyner said in a statement to the Tribune. 'We know nothing other than this, and I am not willing to speculate,' Joyner said. A spokesperson with UTD verified that 19 of their students had their immigration status terminated, and said they were working through the situation with the affected students. 'This is a fluid situation, and we are communicating with affected students about the changes in their status as soon as possible,' a statement from the university read. Students who are removed from SEVIS have only a few options for recourse, said Phillip Rodriguez, another Bryan-based immigration lawyer. Students can choose to leave, or apply to reinstate their status. Hoffman said choosing to remove students from SEVIS rather than revoking visas creates a more difficult appeal process. 'I think they're proactively making it so that they basically can't continue studies, or making it extremely difficult to continue their studies here in the United States without some sort of intervention,' Hoffman said. UNT has one of the highest international enrollments in the U.S., with over 8,000 international students, most of whom are graduate-level, according to university data. Nineteen of the 27 students at UNT who had their SEVIS records removed were graduate students, according to a university spokesperson. UTD has over 4,500 international students, according to the university website. Jessica Priest contributed to this report. This article originally appeared in The Texas Tribune at The Texas Tribune is a nonprofit, nonpartisan media organization that informs Texans – and engages with them – about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
10-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
38 international students' immigration statuses revoked at three more Texas universities
(The Texas Tribune) — Thirty-eight more international students at three Texas universities have had their legal status changed in a wave of removals from a federal database that have swept across the state and the nation. Nineteen students from the University of Texas at Dallas and 16 students from the University of North Texas have been removed from the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System, or SEVIS database, according to university officials. Three students at Texas Tech University in West Texas also had their visas revoked. The universities did not identify the students. Visa revocations prevent re-entering the U.S. but do not immediately end an individual's status, but SEVIS removals do, limiting students' options and causing a much more immediate effect. Robert Hoffman, an immigration lawyer with offices in Houston and Bryan, said SEVIS removal also can affect employment eligibility and the status of dependents like spouses and children, whose ability to stay in the U.S. depends on the primary status holder. 'Unfortunately, these kind of terminations kind of short-circuit due process by not allowing the student the opportunity to hear the specifics of their charges or defend themselves,' Hoffman said. Neither university nor government officials have made it clear how students are being chosen for removal. However, the Department of Homeland Security released a statement Wednesday saying it would begin screening international students' social media for 'antisemitic' content. DHS' statement cited two executive orders from President Donald Trump, described by the White House as aiming to crack down on 'the explosion of anti-Semitism on our campuses and in our streets,' referencing pro-Palestine protests on college campuses. Several Texas universities, including UNT and UTD, were sites of similar protests. During a Faculty Senate meeting at UNT on Wednesday, Faculty Senate Vice Chair William Joyner announced he had heard from the provost about the 16 students whose statuses were removed from SEVIS. No other information was provided, Joyner said in a statement to the Tribune. 'We know nothing other than this, and I am not willing to speculate,' Joyner said. A spokesperson with UTD verified that 19 of their students had their immigration status terminated, and said they were working through the situation with the affected students. 'This is a fluid situation, and we are communicating with affected students about the changes in their status as soon as possible,' a statement from the university read. Students who are removed from SEVIS have only a few options for recourse, said Phillip Rodriguez, another Bryan-based immigration lawyer. Students can choose to leave, or apply to reinstate their status. The federal database changes in Texas were first noted Tuesday, when 15 international students at Texas A&M were removed from SEVIS. Between UNT, UTD, Texas A&M and Texas Tech, the total number of students who have either been removed from SEVIS or had their visas revoked is now at 53. A spokesperson with Texas Tech said the revocations were an 'evolving situation.' Hoffman said choosing to remove students from SEVIS rather than revoking visas creates a more difficult appeal process. 'I think they're proactively making it so that they basically can't continue studies, or making it extremely difficult to continue their studies here in the United States without some sort of intervention,' Hoffman said. UNT has one of the highest international enrollments in the U.S., with over 8,000 international students, most of whom are graduate-level, according to university data. UTD has over 4,500 international students, according to the university website. Disclosure: Texas Tech University, University of Texas at Dallas and University of North Texas have been financial supporters of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune's journalism. Find a complete list of them here. Tickets are on sale now for the 15th annual Texas Tribune Festival, Texas' breakout ideas and politics event happening Nov. 13–15 in downtown Austin. Get tickets before May 1 and save big! TribFest 2025 is presented by 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
10-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
53 international students' immigration statuses revoked at four more Texas universities
Fifty-three more international students at four Texas universities have had their legal status changed in a wave of removals from a federal database that have swept across the state and the nation. Nineteen students from the University of Texas at Dallas and 27 students from the University of North Texas were removed from the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System, or SEVIS database, according to university officials. Three students at Texas Tech University and four at Texas Women's University also had their visas revoked. The universities did not identify the students. Visa revocations prevent re-entering the U.S. but do not immediately end an individual's status, but SEVIS removals do, limiting students' options and causing a much more immediate effect. Robert Hoffman, an immigration lawyer with offices in Houston and Bryan, said SEVIS removal also can affect employment eligibility and the status of dependents like spouses and children, whose ability to stay in the U.S. depends on the primary status holder. 'Unfortunately, these kinds of terminations kind of short-circuit due process by not allowing the student the opportunity to hear the specifics of their charges or defend themselves,' Hoffman said. Neither university nor government officials have made it clear how students are being chosen for removal. However, the Department of Homeland Security released a statement Wednesday saying it would begin screening international students' social media for 'antisemitic' content. DHS' statement cited two executive orders from President Donald Trump, described by the White House as aiming to crack down on 'the explosion of anti-Semitism on our campuses and in our streets,' referencing pro-Palestine protests on college campuses. Several Texas universities, including UNT and UTD, were sites of similar protests. During a Faculty Senate meeting at UNT on Wednesday, Faculty Senate Vice Chair William Joyner announced he had heard from the provost about the 16 students whose statuses were removed from SEVIS. A university spokesperson later confirmed to the Tribune that number had risen to 27. No other information was provided, Joyner said in a statement to the Tribune. 'We know nothing other than this, and I am not willing to speculate,' Joyner said. A spokesperson with UTD verified that 19 of their students had their immigration status terminated, and said they were working through the situation with the affected students. 'This is a fluid situation, and we are communicating with affected students about the changes in their status as soon as possible," a statement from the university read. Students who are removed from SEVIS have only a few options for recourse, said Phillip Rodriguez, another Bryan-based immigration lawyer. Students can choose to leave, or apply to reinstate their status. The federal database changes in Texas were first noted Tuesday, when 15 international students at Texas A&M were removed from SEVIS. Between UNT, UTD, Texas A&M,Texas Tech and TWU, the total number of students who have either been removed from SEVIS or had their visas revoked is now at 68. A spokesperson with Texas Tech said the revocations were an 'evolving situation.' Hoffman said choosing to remove students from SEVIS rather than revoking visas creates a more difficult appeal process. 'I think they're proactively making it so that they basically can't continue studies, or making it extremely difficult to continue their studies here in the United States without some sort of intervention,' Hoffman said. UNT has one of the highest international enrollments in the U.S., with over 8,000 international students, most of whom are graduate-level, according to university data. Nineteen of the 27 students at UNT who had their SEVIS records removed were graduate students, according to a university spokesperson. UTD has over 4,500 international students, according to the university website. Disclosure: Texas Tech University, University of Texas at Dallas and University of North Texas have been financial supporters of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune's journalism. Find a complete list of them here. Tickets are on sale now for the 15th annual Texas Tribune Festival, Texas' breakout ideas and politics event happening Nov. 13–15 in downtown Austin. Get tickets before May 1 and save big! TribFest 2025 is presented by JPMorganChase.
