Australia yesterday dealt a severe blow to international students by raising visa application fees by 125 percent to boost the “integrity” of its fourth-largest export and help slow overall migration.
The increase to A$1,600 (US$1,069) per application, from A$710 starting July 1, will help “create a migration system which is fairer, smaller and better able to deliver for Australia,”Australian Minister for Home Affairs Clare O’ Neil said in a statement.
Australia has one of the biggest international education sectors in the world, worth about A$48 billion a year, or 7 percent of total exports.
Photo: Reuters
International graduates account for one-third of the nation’s permanent skilled migrant intake, data from the Grattan Institute showed.
The extra revenue will be used to help implement measures including government’s funding of Australian students’ education, as well as financial support for local apprentices and employers, the government said.
An influx in arrivals since borders reopened after the COVID-19 pandemic is running headlong into a chronic shortage of homes to accommodate them, forcing the government to limit the inflow.
Migration is expected to be a key plank on which Australia’s election next year would be fought, with opposition leader Peter Dutton also promising measures to slash migrant numbers.
International student numbers have surged since the COVID-19 pandemic to more than 650,000, well above pre-pandemic levels and nearly double where they were almost a decade ago. Australia has more three times the number of international students, per head of population, than either Canada or the UK, Grattan data showed.
These previously announced migration policies also took effect yesterday:
‧ Raising the Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold to A$73,150 from A$70,000 based on annual indexation.
‧ Shortening the duration of Temporary Graduate Visas and reducing the age eligibility.
‧ Ending “visa hopping” by closing the loopholes that allow students and other temporary visa holders to continuously extend their stay in Australia, in some cases indefinitely.
‧ Extending the length of time temporary skilled migrants can remain in Australia between employer sponsors frotom 180 days from 60 days.
‧ Implementing the Strengthening Employer Compliance Bill 2023 against employers engaging in the exploitation of migrants.
‧ Introducing the Workplace Justice Visa Pilot to enable temporary visa holders to remain in Australia for a short period when pursuing workplace justice.
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