Australia increases student visa fee by 125%

• Australia increases international student visa fee by 125% to A$1,600.
• Visitor visa and temporary graduate visa holders cannot apply.
• Australia now has higher student visa fees compared.

To curb unprecedented levels of migration, the Australian government has implemented a significant hike in the visa fee for international students, marking an increase of 125%.

Effective from July 1, the cost for an international student visa has escalated to A$1,600, up from the previous A$710. Additionally, those holding visitor visas or temporary graduate visas are now prohibited from applying for a student visa while within Australia.

“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,” stated Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil.

Data published in March indicated a 60% surge in net immigration, reaching a new high of 548,800 individuals for the year ending September 30, 2023.

This fee increase positions Australia as a more costly option for student visas compared to other nations such as the United States and Canada, where the fees are approximately $185 and C$150 ($110), respectively.

The Australian government is also addressing visa regulation gaps that previously allowed international students to prolong their stay indefinitely. This measure comes as the count of students obtaining a second or subsequent student visa jumped by over 30%, exceeding 150,000 in the 2022–23 period.

These adjustments are part of a series of measures initiated since the previous year to tighten student visa regulations, following the removal of COVID-19 restrictions which led to a spike in annual migration.

In March, the English language prerequisites were strengthened, and in May, the financial requirement for international students seeking a visa was increased to A$29,710 ($19,823) from A$24,505, marking the second hike within a span of seven months.

Luke Sheehy, CEO of Universities Australia, expressed concern that the ongoing policy pressures could jeopardize Australia’s advantageous position.

“This is not good for our economy or our universities, both of which rely heavily on international student fees,” Sheehy commented via email.

The international education sector stands as one of Australia’s top export sectors, contributing A$36.4 billion to the financial year 2022-2023.

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