Australia cuts visa issuance to international students

The number of student visas issued has dropped sharply over the past year, dropping to the crisis level of 2009. According to the Department of Migration Affairs, there were almost 375,000 international students in Australia at the end of June 2015, the highest rate since June 2009. The monthly number of approved visas is 35,000, and this is the first time in the last 4 years.

But in June 2015, a downward trend began in the number of approved visa applications for students from India, Vietnam and Nepal. The number of visas issued for citizens of these countries last year decreased by 13%, 18% and 16%, respectively. The International Education Association in Australia reported that over the past 5 years of continuous growth in visa approvals, the education immigration sector has been quite shaken.

“It is clear that the Department of Migration Affairs has had a number of questions regarding the transparent intentions of all those entering Australia over the past few months,” confirmed the Association's Executive Director Phil Honeywood. The authorities are introducing additional measures in the form of a test for entering the country to determine the financial and academic ability of candidates who intend to study in Australia.

On the other hand, the percentage of approved visas for students from China and Brazil is only growing - by 9 and 8%, respectively. Phil Honeywood, in this regard, made a cautious statement that "We are still very focused on two or three key markets and this is conserving the educational environment."

In June, the quotas for Australian universities for admission of foreign students also increased by 29%, which means that even more international students will be able to come to study in the country. In Brazil, however, due to the freeze of the Science Without Borders program, a drop in students who will be able to study abroad is expected, while students from India are looking more actively atside of the United States following Barack Obama's proposal to introduce a work visa for 6 years after graduation in the United States for students in the field of science and technology.