Australia announced on Monday that it has more than doubled the visa fee for international students, in a bid to manage record migration levels that are straining the housing market.
Effective July 1, the international student visa fee has increased to A$1,600 ($1,068) from A$710. Additionally, visitor visa holders and students with temporary graduate visas are now prohibited from applying for a student visa while onshore.
“These changes are designed to restore integrity to our international education system and create a migration system that is fairer, smaller, and better able to serve Australia,” stated Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil.
According to official data released in March, net immigration surged by 60% to a record 548,800 people in the year ending September 30, 2023.
The new visa fee makes studying in Australia significantly more expensive compared to competing countries like the U.S. and Canada, where student visas cost around $185 and C$150 ($110), respectively.
The Australian government is also closing loopholes that allow foreign students to repeatedly extend their stay. The number of students on a second or subsequent student visa increased by over 30% to more than 150,000 in the 2022-23 period.
This visa fee hike follows a series of measures introduced since late last year to tighten student visa regulations, following the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions in 2022, which led to a surge in migration. English language requirements were tightened in March, and in May, the required savings amount for international students to obtain a visa was increased to A$29,710 ($19,823) from A$24,505, marking the second increase in about seven months.
Universities Australia CEO Luke Sheehy expressed concern over the government’s continued pressure on the sector, warning that it could jeopardize Australia’s strong position in international education.
“This is not good for our economy or our universities, both of which rely heavily on international student fees,” Sheehy said in an emailed response.
International education is one of Australia’s largest export industries, contributing A$36.4 billion to the economy in the 2022-2023 financial year.
