On Tuesday, the Australian government announced its new plan to limit the number of international students allowed to get student visas. Universities of Australia can now only accept 145,000 international students, while skill training programs can only accept 95,000. This decision was taken after a big increase in student visas last year when almost 600,000 were issued.
The education minister, Jason Clare, said the new student limit has been set to manage the growing number of students and protect the reputation of the educational sector. He further said in 2025, universities will only accept 15% of international students and 15% in vocational colleges.
Universities Australia Chair David Lloyd expressed his thoughts on this limit. He said, “I am worried that this limit may harm universities and Australia’s research. The Education Council Australia also wants more information as this new limit leaves unanswered questions.
Countries like Canada, the Netherlands, and the UK are also following this trend and limiting international students.
Even after these limits, international students are very important to the Australian economy, bringing in A$48 billion ($32.5 billion) last year. The Property Council of Australia Student Accommodation believes the cap is a good idea because it will encourage investment in student housing.
