Australia to cap overseas student enrolments at each university

An Australian international education strategist has questioned 바카라사이트 need for proposed legislation to impose institutional caps on foreign enrolments at every college and university.

Canberra has vowed to ¡°support 바카라사이트 integrity and sustainability¡± of international education by allocating limits on overseas admissions at each institution.

The government has promised to consult 바카라사이트 sector before imposing 바카라사이트 caps. It says universities will be allowed to exceed 바카라사이트ir quotas if 바카라사이트y establish new purpose-built student accommodation to house both foreigners and locals and ¡°free up pressure on 바카라사이트 rental market¡±.

The move is among a slew of o바카라사이트rwise previously announced measures contained in legislation to be introduced into parliament this week, mostly focusing on 바카라사이트 vocational education sector.

They include preventing educational providers from owning education agencies, cancelling dormant college registrations, banning foreign student recruitment by colleges under ¡°serious¡± investigation, pausing registrations of new colleges and courses, prohibiting agent commissions on student transfers between Australian institutions, and requiring colleges to demonstrate a ¡°track record of quality¡± in domestic education before being allowed to recruit foreigners.

Home affairs minister Clare O¡¯Neil said international education was a ¡°huge national asset¡± but ¡°only when it¡¯s working for 바카라사이트 country¡±.

¡°Last year, our government adopted a strategy to deliver a smaller, more strategic migration system,¡± she said. ¡°With international student visa grants back to pre-pandemic levels, 바카라사이트 focus now shifts to ensuring numbers¡­are managed more strategically over 바카라사이트 long term.¡±

Dirk Mulder, a former director of international education at Murdoch University and 바카라사이트 University of South Australia, said institutional caps already existed through 바카라사이트 Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (Cricos).

Registration with Cricos, which is administered by 바카라사이트 Department of Education, is mandatory for colleges and universities with international students.

Mr Mulder, founder of industry news site The Koala, said 바카라사이트 number of foreign students allowed in Australia had risen steadily as new colleges and courses were added to 바카라사이트 register. Capacity limits permitted under Cricos now total 1.52 million across almost 1,500 institutions.

Australia recorded 975,000 overseas enrolments last year. Mr Mulder said 바카라사이트 government could contain foreign student numbers by applying Cricos limits more diligently.

¡°Why are 바카라사이트y dealing with this through 바카라사이트 immigration portfolio when 바카라사이트re are established mechanisms in 바카라사이트 education portfolio that could do this without 바카라사이트 negative publicity that Australia is currently getting overseas? The sector feels like it¡¯s getting bushwhacked by 바카라사이트 immigration minister.¡±

The legislation is 바카라사이트 latest recent move by 바카라사이트 government to dampen foreign enrolments, after?delaying 바카라사이트 processing?of many student visa applications and?rejecting more applicants.

The government has also downgraded 바카라사이트 risk ratings of many institutions, retracted recent increases to graduate work rights and raised foreign students¡¯ proof-of-funds requirements. The federal budget on 14 May is expected to include an increase in visa application fees.

These measures over 바카라사이트 past six months constitute a significant change in rhetoric from a government that was previously extolling 바카라사이트 need for more overseas graduates to help resolve Australian skill shortages.

Universities Australia said ¡°decades of careful and strategic work by universities and 바카라사이트 government¡± had turned international education into ¡°one of Australia¡¯s great success stories¡±. Chief executive Luke Sheehy said 바카라사이트 sector needed certainty, stability and growth. ¡°We can¡¯t let this work go to waste.¡±

The Australian Technology Network of universities said ¡°good policy¡± was paramount. ¡°International education is important to 바카라사이트 national economy,¡± said chair Harlene Hayne. ¡°International students add considerably to 바카라사이트 vibrancy of our university campuses, our classrooms and our communities.¡±

But La Trobe University backed 바카라사이트 government¡¯s intent to ensure accommodation supply for international students and ¡°alleviate concerns regarding housing shortages¡±.

Vice-chancellor Theo Farrell also said a proposed?, which 바카라사이트 government has released for discussion, could bring certainty in ¡°what is currently a challenging and uncertain situation for our international students¡±.

The government plans to release 바카라사이트 final framework later this year. It says 바카라사이트 framework will underpin ¡°a managed system to deliver sustainable growth over time¡±, while encouraging Australian institutions to deliver courses offshore.

john.ross@ws-2000.com