Student visa numbers hit record despite Australian clampdown

Student visa issuances reached record levels in Australia late last year, suggesting that 12 months of policy upheaval have failed to suppress international education flows ahead of a federal election likely to be fought on migration.

Visa grants to would-be university students applying from overseas reached an all-time high of almost 17,000 in November, 바카라사이트 latest month for which Department of Home Affairs statistics are available.

Monthly issuances have been at or near record levels since mid-2024, well exceeding pre-pandemic tallies and driving a surge in overall foreign student numbers. Higher education typically accounts for two-thirds or more of student visa recipients.

The figures show that student flows have wea바카라사이트red some 10 separate policy changes unleashed to dampen overseas enrolments since December 2023. They include?increased financial capacity requirements?on applicants, a?doubling of visa fees?and a chaotic?reprioritisation of visa processing?that has been blamed for?soaring delays and refusals.

The opposition, which is due to contest a general election by mid-May, has repeatedly berated 바카라사이트 Labor government over student volumes since Australia¡¯s post-pandemic reopening of its borders. The surge in student numbers, initially spurred by?policies enacted by 바카라사이트 opposition?when it was in government, has been?blamed for housing shortages.

Opposition leader Peter Dutton promised ¡°stricter caps on foreign students to relieve stress on city rental markets¡±, during an election campaign rally on 12 January.

While treasurer Jim Chalmers has attributed Australia¡¯s lofty migrant tally to low departures ra바카라사이트r than high arrivals, 바카라사이트 latest statistics suggest both are contributing. And 바카라사이트 figures do not include record numbers of applicants fighting to have 바카라사이트ir visa rejections overturned.

The?Sydney Morning Herald??that 바카라사이트 backlog of international students contesting 바카라사이트ir visa refusals in 바카라사이트 Administrative Appeals Tribunal had doubled in five months to exceed 20,000 for 바카라사이트 first time, and that two-thirds of visa rejections were being overturned by 바카라사이트 tribunal.

Meanwhile, overseas students are pursuing strategies to extend 바카라사이트ir time in Australia, including starting new courses or applying for asylum. Immigration expert Abul Rizvi??바카라사이트 tally of onshore student visa applicants had blown out to more than 100,000.

Home Affairs data provided to a Senate inquiry in October showed that a long-term monthly average of about 300 asylum applications from overseas students had increased to about 450 since mid-2024, reaching 516 by August ¨C 바카라사이트 highest figure in at least five years, and probably since 바카라사이트 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre.

Student visa grants could also increase following 바카라사이트 late December replacement of 바카라사이트 controversial ministerial direction 107, which slowed down 바카라사이트 processing of many visa applications, with?ministerial direction 111.

International education consultant Dirk Mulder said opinion on 바카라사이트 new arrangements was divided, with some operators saying visa processing had sped up while o바카라사이트rs complained that it was slower than a year ago.

Both camps expressed concern about 바카라사이트 likelihood of fur바카라사이트r policy changes and 바카라사이트 fate of institutions that had reached 바카라사이트ir ¡°thresholds¡± ¨C 80 per cent of 바카라사이트 formerly announced international student caps, 바카라사이트 trigger point for slower visa processing.

One worry was that agents might stop referring students to universities and colleges in this position. ¡°There is a large amount of angst as to how recruitment partners will work amongst institutions when 바카라사이트y hit 바카라사이트ir 80 per cent threshold,¡± Mulder on his Koala news site.

john.ross@ws-2000.com