Australian student visas have experienced a significant decline, with data from the Australian Department of Home Affairs showing a nearly 30% drop in the first four months of 2024, from 104,808 visas to 74,421 visas year-over-year.
This decline is a short-term impact of Australia's stricter migration policy revisions. The new policies include stopping the conversion of tourist visas to student visas starting next month, which has increased visa refusals and lowered the overall approval rate to 77.4%, down from 80.5% the previous year.
These initiatives are also part of the migration strategy released last year. The policies include increased minimum fund requirements, restrictions on international enrollments (starting January 2025), and measures to tighten the visa transition process for students.
Since their implementation, these policies have led to increased visa refusals and demands for transparency in the visa approval process. Prospective students are required to demonstrate stronger financial proof, better English language proficiency, and pass the "Genuine Student Test," according to VnExpress.
The government's new National Migration Strategy aims to close gaps in the international education system and ensure that the migration system only grants visas to those with skills needed in Australia. The new policies also aim to limit "visa hopping," a practice where students and temporary visa holders extend their stay in the country, sometimes indefinitely.
The new rules also prohibit holders of Temporary Graduate Visas from applying for Student Visas within Australia. This policy was implemented in response to a surge in applications for converting tourist visas to student visas, with 36,000 applications submitted between mid-2023 and May 2024.
Australia has tightened international student visa regulations since late 2023 to halve the number of immigrants within two years. These policies include shortening visa durations from 4-6 years to 2-4 years, classifying universities into three levels based on visa fraud risk with different visa processes, increasing English language requirements to IELTS 6.0-6.5, and setting part-time work restrictions at 24 hours per week.
These policies aim to improve the quality of education and reduce visa fraud but have resulted in a more complex visa process and stricter requirements for some students.
