Australian government has become more stringent in foreign student admission from 2025.
Australia has been a top priority for international students due to quality education, advanced technologies, and job security. The Anthony Albanese-led government has introduced new rules in foreign student intake to prevent migration rate and rising rental rate. In this article, we will discuss about the impact of new foreign student intake rules on Indian students.
Australian government has announced that international student intake will be limited to 2.7 lakh in 2025 to tackle migration rate causing skyrocketing house rental prices.
“The limit includes higher education courses as well as vocational education and training courses,” Australia's Education Minister Jason Clare said.
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International education has been a key contributor to Australia's economy. In 2022-23 session, it was valued at A$36.4 billion ($24 billion). Over the last decade, there has been a rapid rise in migration leading to higher rental costs across the nation. The Australian government planned to reduce migration rates by reducing student intake every year.
“We are significantly reducing migration levels - we are in the middle of the biggest drop in migration numbers in Australia's history, outside of war or pandemic,” Home Affairs Minister Clare O'Neil previously stated.
India's Quad partner Australia is the fourth most preferred destination for Indian students studying in foreign countries. The top three preferences are Canada, the US and the UK.
“India continues to be the second-largest source country for international student enrolments in Australia,” India's High Commission in Canberra said last year.
Sachin Jain, Country Manager, ETS India and South Asia, mentioned: “Australia remains the preferred choice for Indian students and working professionals, with over 1.2 lakh Indian students studying last year.”
The move will surely impact Indian students aspiring to study in abroad.
"In June 2022, Australia capped the foreign student intake at 5.10 lakh. This number was reduced to 3.75 lakh in 2023. Now they have reduced the annual planning levels further. These levels are accorded to individual universities for all international students and not just for Indian students. The universities will distribute the quotas country wise then state wise," Sunil Jaggi, a member of Migration Agents Registration Authority of Australia, said.
"The students who were preparing to take admission for the February intake will get affected by this announcement. Students from Punjab will be worst affected," he further said.
Australia to limit the number of international students to 270,000 for 2025, as the government plans to check migration which has allegedly led to spike in home rental prices. pic.twitter.com/wx9d6xc9xW
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Indian students working part-time in Australia support the gig economy there. Thus, sudden change in rule will hurt genuine students and the nation.
"This will affect my career. My family is taking loans for my education as the cost of studying in Australia is quite high," a student from Haryana, who wishes to study nursing in Australia, said.
"The Indian government must put forward students' point of view to the Australian government," another student said.
Previously, Australia also hiked non-refundable visa fee for foreign students from AUD 710 to AUD 1,600 to control migration rate.
