The Australian government has announced its intention to enforce a more stringent visa scheme for international students, including those from Nigeria and other countries. Australian Minister Claire O’Neil said new visa rules could ban universities from recruiting rule-breaking foreign students.
Australia enforces more strict visa rules for foreign students amid record migration, says Reuters. The new visa rule, which comes into effect on Saturday, will heighten the English language requirements for student and graduate visas. This expectation suggests that the already strained rental market will worsen further.
O’Neil says weekend measures will lower migration and fix inherited system flaws. Authorities will introduce a new “genuine student test” to further deter international students seeking to relocate to Australia for work. Additionally, authorities will impose “no further stay” conditions on more visitor visas.
Last year’s measures revoked COVID-era benefits, including unlimited work hours for international students. At that time, Australia announced that student rules would be tightened, potentially halving its migrant intake over two years.
In 2022, Australia boosted migration to fill COVID-19 related staff shortages, after nearly two years of strict border controls. However, the sudden surge of foreign workers and students has intensified pressure on the already strained rental market.
On Thursday, the Australian Bureau of Statistics released data showing a 60% increase in net immigration to a record 548,800 in the year to Sept. 30, 2023, surpassing the 518,000 people in the year ending June 2023. Australia’s population hit a record growth rate of 2.5%, reaching 26.8 million last September.
This record migration, fueled by students from India, China, and the Philippines, has broadened the labor supply and curbed wage pressures. Tight housing market worsens with record low vacancies and high construction costs limiting supply.
Government actions reduced migration, with student visa grants down 35% from last year, says O’Neil.
