Australia Doubles Foreign Student Visa Fee to Address Migration

Australia Doubles Foreign Student Visa Fee to Address Migration

On Monday, Australia announced a doubling of visa fees for international students. The decision is part of the government's efforts to curb mass migration, which has increased housing demand in an already overcrowded market.

Starting July 1, the visa fee for international students has increased from A$710 to A$1,600 ($1,068). Additionally, visitors and students with temporary graduate visas are no longer allowed to apply for a student visa while they are in Australia.

"These changes starting today will help make our international education system more trustworthy and create a migration system that is fairer, smaller, and more beneficial for Australia," said Home Affairs Minister Clare O'Neil in a statement.

Official data released in March showed that net immigration increased by 60%, reaching a record 548,800 people in the year leading up to September 30, 2023.

The higher fees make applying for a student visa in Australia much more expensive compared to other countries like the U.S. and Canada, where the fees are about $185 and C$150 ($110), respectively.

The government is closing visa loopholes that allowed foreign students to keep extending their stay, as the number of students on a second or later student visa rose by over 30% to more than 150,000 in 2022-23.

This follows actions since late last year to tighten student visa rules, with stricter English language requirements introduced in March and higher savings needed for a visa in May, now A$29,710 ($19,823).

Universities Australia CEO Luke Sheehy warned that ongoing policy pressure could harm the economy and universities, which rely heavily on international student fees. International education, worth A$36.4 billion in 2022-23, is one of Australia's largest export industries.