Australia limits international student admissions amid migration pressure

As part of a migration crackdown Australia will limit the number of foreign students to 270,000 in year 2025. The Australian government will cap new international students at 145,000 for universities and 95,000 for the skills training sector, Education Minister Jason Clare said on Tuesday (Aug 27).

Notably almost 600,000 student visas were granted in 2023, which was a significant jump from previous years.

"This is an significant part of our economy and there is no doubt about it. That hasn't changed," Clare told reporters in Sydney and added, "but as students have come back, it has put pressure on the reputation of the sector."

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Further informing, Clare said, “Generally, there will be around 15% more students allowed for universities and 20% fewer for vocational colleges in 2025.

Clare emphasised that the changes are not intended to undermine international education but rather to ensure its long-term sustainability. She expressed a desire to continue attracting international students to the country.

Universities Australia Chair David Lloyd said the student caps would put a ‘brake’ on the tertiary education sector.

Lloyd argued that migration controls should not disproportionately impact any sector, especially education, as it could harm Australia's research and development capabilities.

The Independent Tertiary Education Council Australia said in a statement that universities needed more information about the changes, saying the announcement "creates more questions than answers."

It may be mentioned here, Australia is just the latest country to crack down on international students over migration concerns, with Canada, the Netherlands and the UK all implementing or considering measures targeting the university sector. 

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Support for migration in Australia has fallen to its lowest level in five years, according to a poll released by Essential, with 42% of those surveyed saying it had a negative effect on the country.

International students contributed $48 billion ($32.5 billion) to the Australian economy in 2023, making it the country's top services export. 

(With inputs from agencies)