Australia has recently made significant changes to its visa fees for international students, more than doubling the cost to $1,068 in an effort to manage the impact of record migration on the housing market. The increased fee, effective July 1, is part of a broader strategy to create a fairer and more manageable migration system.
These adjustments come in response to a staggering 60% increase in net immigration to a record 548,800 people, further highlighting the need for stricter visa regulations. With the new fee, applying for a student visa in Australia now exceeds costs in competing countries like the U.S. and Canada.
The government has also implemented measures to prevent foreign students from extending their stay in Australia indefinitely, as the number of students on subsequent visas surged by over 30%. These changes, along with previous adjustments to English language requirements and financial criteria, are part of a larger effort to safeguard the integrity of the international education system.
However, critics like Universities Australia CEO Luke Sheehy have expressed concerns that these policies could jeopardize the country’s economic strength, as international education contributes significantly to the economy, amounting to AU$36.4 billion in the 2022-2023 fiscal year.
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