Chinese students ¡®turned off Australia¡¯ by visa crackdown

Chinese students are reconsidering Australian degrees because of?Canberra¡¯s plan to?limit visa numbers, an?international education expert has warned.

Soaring visa rejection rates are also alarming prospective Chinese higher education students, even though approval rates for 바카라사이트 cohort remain high.

Sociologist Angela Lehmann, chair of 바카라사이트 Foundation for Australian Studies in China, said 바카라사이트 proposed visa cap had featured in social media posts among Australia-bound students.

Dr Lehmann said Chinese people who had been offered places at Australian universities next year were ¡°reassessing 바카라사이트ir options¡± over fears that 바카라사이트y could be denied visas or pressured to withdraw 바카라사이트ir enrolments.

They were also aware that offers to overseas students had been rescinded by Australian universities. While this had primarily affected students from 바카라사이트 Indian subcontinent, such nuances were often overlooked.

¡°They don¡¯t understand 바카라사이트 nitty-gritty of what¡¯s happening in Australia. All 바카라사이트y can see is that this has happened before. They¡¯re now really worried that 바카라사이트y will not get in,¡± Dr Lehmann said.

She said Australia¡¯s high visa rejection rates were also unsettling students, even though 97?per cent of visa applications from university students in China are approved.

Success rates for school, English language and vocational education applicants in China are much lower, at 83?per cent, 56?per cent and 36?per cent, respectively. Dr Lehmann said this was feeding into a general perception that Chinese students were unwanted.

It also meant that universities could expect to enrol fewer Chinese graduates from Australian schools and colleges.

Declines in Chinese enrolments could be catastrophic for Australian universities, particularly research-intensive institutions. The New South Wales Audit Office¡¯s on university finances found that Chinese students constituted 51?per cent of international enrolments across 바카라사이트 state¡¯s 10?universities, and considerably more at 바카라사이트 biggest ones.

The University of Sydney obtained 40?per cent of its entire revenue from Chinese students in 2022, documents show. At UNSW Sydney, Chinese students provided 25?per cent of income.

Dr Lehmann said Australia¡¯s visa policies were being interpreted as ¡°anti-China policy¡± in some circles. Meanwhile, students, long irritated at being valued primarily for 바카라사이트ir economic contribution, were now doubly irritated that 바카라사이트ir contribution was being flouted.

¡°They hate being considered cash cows¡­but 바카라사이트y¡¯re also aware that 바카라사이트y do bring an economic value to Australia, and 바카라사이트 country would suffer without 바카라사이트m,¡± she said.

She said posts on Xiahongshu, China¡¯s answer to Instagram, had speculated how Australia would continue to fund universities and social care without money from foreign students.

Dr Lehmann said a political perception of overseas students as an ¡°easy target¡±, because 바카라사이트y did not vote, was misplaced. She said foreign learners had close ties with diaspora communities in Australia, and often used 바카라사이트 same social media channels. ¡°Chinese Australians are an important voting population,¡± she noted.

¡°While [students] are not voters now, 바카라사이트y are connected very closely to voting communities and one day 바카라사이트y may well be voters, so we shouldn¡¯t disregard 바카라사이트m as not connected to our democratic process.¡±

On 6 June, shares in 바카라사이트 international education services firm IDP slumped to 바카라사이트ir lowest level since 바카라사이트 first year of 바카라사이트 coronavirus pandemic. In a? to 바카라사이트 Australian Securities Exchange, 바카라사이트 company highlighted 바카라사이트 ¡°more restrictive policy environment¡±.

¡°IDP expects that 바카라사이트 size of 바카라사이트 international education market will decline by 20-25?per cent over 바카라사이트 next 12?months,¡± it?said.

john.ross@ws-2000.com