Foreign students, including Indians, will now face higher expenses to study in Australia due to recent visa fee hikes.
Australia has doubled the international student visa fee from 710 Australian dollars to 1,600 Australian dollars starting July 1.
This increase is attributed to pressure on the housing market, exacerbated by a surge in foreign student numbers.
Policy Changes and Impact
The Australian government has also prohibited visitor visa and temporary graduate visa holders from applying for student visas.
These measures aim to streamline the migration system and maintain the integrity of international education.
According to Australia’s Home Minister Clare O’Neill, these adjustments are crucial for improving both the migration and education systems.
The changes come as net immigration surged by 60 percent to 548,800 by September 2023, surpassing similar costs for student visas in the US and Canada.
Closing Loopholes in Visa Rules
The government clarified that these changes address loopholes allowing foreign students to extend their stays in Australia repeatedly.
This move follows a 30 percent rise in the number of students on subsequent visas, exceeding 150,000 in 2022-23, driven by record-high annual immigration levels post-Covid restrictions.
