Australia increases student visa fee by more than 100%
1. International visa fee has risen to A$1,600 from A$710, starting from July 1
The Australian government has significantly increased its visa fee for international students by 125%, raising it from A$710 to A$1,600, effective July 1. This decision is part of a broader strategy to curb record migration, which saw a 60% increase to a record 548,800 people in the year leading up to September 30, 2023.
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 that these changes aim to restore integrity to the international education system and create a fairer, smaller, and more effective migration system.
The fee increase makes the Australian student visa significantly more expensive than those in competing countries like the United States and Canada, where the costs are about $185 and C$150 ($110), respectively.
In conjunction with the fee hike, the government is also closing loopholes that allowed foreign students to extend their stay in Australia continuously. The number of students on a second or subsequent student visa rose by over 30% to more than 150,000 in 2022-23.
This move follows other measures to tighten student visa rules since late last year. In March, English language requirements were made stricter, and in May, the required savings for international students to obtain a visa were increased 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 these policies could jeopardize the country's strong position in the international education sector, which is a crucial part of the economy, contributing A$36.4 billion in the 2022-2023 financial year.
