Australia Doubles Cost of International Student VisasAustralia Doubles Cost of International Student Visas Australia has raised the cost of student visas by more than double, prompting concerns from international student representatives. The increase has been made to fund apprenticeship initiatives and reduce graduate debt. The visa increase is also seen as part of efforts to slow migration, which has increased following the COVID-19 pandemic. The cost of a student visa application has increased from $472 to $1,064. Concerns from International Student Groups Phil Honeywood, head of the International Education Association of Australia, expressed concerns that the increase would particularly hurt students from the Indo-Pacific region, who have traditionally preferred Australia for education abroad. “We are really at risk of losing an industry that is a $48 billion a year industry,” Honeywood stated. Opponents of the fee hike argue that it will cause Australia to lose students to competitors such as the United States and that it unjustly targets international students to support the economy and national research efforts. Government’s Rationale Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s government maintains that the increase will fund initiatives to support apprenticeships and reduce graduate debt. However, Vicki Thompson, CEO of the Group of Eight, an education organization, expressed concerns about the negative impact on international student numbers. She stated that recent visa approval crackdowns have already sent a message that Australia is not open for business and that international students are being used as “cash cows.” The increased visa costs have sparked concerns and questions about the impact they will have on Australia’s international education industry and its ability to attract and retain international students.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese speaks to the media during a press conference in Canberra, Australia, on April 13. His government on Monday more than doubled the cost of international student visas. File photo by Lukas Coch/EPA-EFE
July 1 (UPI) — Australia on Monday doubled the cost of student visas in a bid to slow immigration. This angered international student representatives.
The Australian federal government has increased the cost of a student visa application from about $472 to about $1,064.
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Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s government said the increase would fund several initiatives, including financial support for apprenticeships and efforts to reduce graduate debt.
The visa increase is also seen as part of Australia’s efforts to slow migration, which peaked at 528,000 in the 2022-2023 academic year following the COVID-19 crisis.
Phil Honeywood, head of the International Education Association of Australia, said the increases would particularly hurt students from the Indo-Pacific region, who had traditionally become dependent on Australia and the country of choice for education abroad.
“We are really at risk of losing an industry that is a $48 billion a year industry,” Honeywood told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. about the loss of students.
Opponents of the fee said the change will simply cause Australia to lose students to the United States and other competitors, rather than them staying and paying the increase.
“Rather than restoring integrity to the international education sector, this measure will act as a deterrent to international students,” said Vicki Thompson, CEO of the Group of Eight, an education organization made up of the country’s leading research institutions, according to The Guardian . .
“The recent crackdown on visa approvals has already sent a strong message that we are not open for business. Once again, our international students are being used as cash cows to support the economy and national research efforts and now to fund other government initiatives. .”
