Sydney, July 1 | Australia increases Foreign Student Visa fee to address migration challenges
The rise in fees makes applying for a student visa for Australia far more expensive than in competing countries like the US and Canada.
Australia announced on Monday that it has more than doubled the visa fee for international students, as part of the government’s efforts to manage record migration and alleviate pressure on the tight housing market.
From 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 onshore for a student visa. Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil stated, “The changes coming into force today will help restore integrity to our international education system, and create a migration system which is fairer, smaller, and better able to deliver for Australia.”
Official data released in March revealed that net immigration surged by 60% to a record 548,800 people in the year leading up to September 30, 2023.
The fee hike makes the cost of applying for a student visa in Australia significantly higher compared to competing countries like the U.S. and Canada, where fees are about $185 and C$150 ($110) respectively.
The government also announced it is closing loopholes that allowed foreign students to continuously extend their stay in Australia. The number of students on a second or subsequent student visa increased by over 30% to more than 150,000 in 2022-23.
This latest measure follows several actions since late last year aimed at tightening student visa regulations. The lifting of COVID-19 restrictions in 2022 led to a surge in annual migration to record levels. In March, English language requirements were tightened, and in May, the required savings for international students to obtain a visa were raised 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 that the government’s ongoing policy pressure on the sector could jeopardize the country’s competitive position. “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
