Australia has increased visa fees for international students in a bid to manage record migration and housing market pressure. The fee for international student visas has more than doubled to A$1,600 from A$710 starting from 1 July. Additionally, changes to visa rules have been made to maintain integrity in the international education system.
With a 60% rise in net immigration to a record 548,800 people, the government aims to create a fairer and smaller migration system. The move makes obtaining a student visa for Australia more expensive compared to countries like the US and Canada.
The tightening of visa rules follows previous actions to address the surge in migration levels. Universities Australia CEO Luke Sheehy expressed concerns about the policy’s impact on the economy and universities heavily reliant on international student fees. The international education sector, a key export industry, contributed A$36.4 billion to the Australian economy in the 2022-2023 financial year.