Australia has doubled the international student visa fee to A$1,600 from A$710 to curb record migration and ease housing market pressures.
The new rules, effective July 1, also ban visitor visa holders and students with temporary graduate visas from applying onshore for a student visa.
Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil stated the changes aim to restore integrity to the international education system and create a fairer migration system. Net immigration reached a record 548,800 in the year ending September 30, 2023.
Visa fees in Australia are now significantly higher compared to the U.S. and Canada. The government also closed loopholes allowing students to repeatedly extend their stay, following a 30% spike in second or subsequent student visas to over 150,000 in 2022-23.
Earlier actions included tightening English language requirements in March and raising the required savings for international students in May. Universities Australia CEO Luke Sheehy warned that continued policy pressure could harm the economy and universities, which rely heavily on international student fees. International education contributed A$36.4 billion to Australia’s economy in the 2022-23 financial year.