Australia is witnessing a surge in its international student population, reaching an all-time high, despite recent governmental efforts to tighten immigration regulations aimed at ensuring foreign students are solely focused on their studies during their stay in the country.
Data released by the Home Affairs Department indicates that as of February 29, the number of international students in Australia soared to 713,144, marking a significant 7.3% increase compared to figures from last September. This influx has also contributed to a record-high number of temporary migrants, totaling 2.8 million individuals.
Abul Rizvi, former deputy secretary of the immigration department, described the surge as unprecedented, emphasizing that it underscores the need for continued governmental interventions. He noted a discrepancy between the government’s pursuit of permanent migration and the current surge in temporary migrants.
The Australian government has announced stringent measures to scrutinize international student applications, focusing on verifying students’ genuine intentions to study in the country and their English proficiency levels. The Genuine Temporary Entrant (GTE) test has been replaced by a new Genuine Student (GS) criterion, effective immediately for all student applications submitted since March 23. Additionally, minimum English proficiency requirements have been raised to IELTS 6.0 for general study visas and IELTS 6.5 for graduate visas.
Furthermore, the government plans to target education providers deemed at high risk of non-compliance with immigration regulations. Warning notices will be issued to these providers, giving them six months to rectify their practices, failing which they will be suspended from recruiting international students.
Minister for Home Affairs and Cyber Security Clare O’Neil underscored the government’s commitment to reducing migration levels while addressing concerns about the broken immigration system. Notably, there has been a significant decline in international student visa grants since September, with over 50,000 visa applications rejected from November 2023 to February 2024.
Australia’s decision to increase its annual migration cap in 2022 aimed to alleviate labor shortages caused by the Covid-19 pandemic’s stringent border restrictions. However, the influx of foreign workers and students has exacerbated strains on the rental market.
Recent data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics revealed a 60% surge in net migration, reaching an unprecedented 548,800 in the 12 months ending September 30, 2023. Consequently, Australia’s population recorded its fastest growth rate ever, reaching 26.8 million by the end of September 2023.
The Australian government intends to shift its focus towards attracting permanent migrants rather than temporary residents amidst ongoing immigration reforms.