Australia's appeal to international students falls sharply as visa rules tighten
Less than one in four prospective students now rank Australia first, down from one in three six months ago.
Australia's grip on international students is weakening fast. A new survey of prospective students shows less than one in four now rank Australia as their first choice, down from more than one in three just six months a year earlier.
The US, UK and Canada all grew more attractive over the same period. In July, Australia made student visas the world's most expensive: undergraduate visas jumped to $2,500 and postgraduate to $5,750.
Visa refusal rates also hit a ten-year high of 24.6 per cent in June, up from just 7.9 per cent a decade ago. Labor's August changes banned overseas students from bringing family and restricted transfers between institutions.
IDP Education's Simon Emmett warned that "once you've got that uncertainty, the shift to other destinations is something that's difficult to switch back on."
- $5,750
- Postgraduate visa cost
- 24.6 percent, ten-year high
- Visa refusal rate June
- 7.9 percent a decade ago
- Prior refusal rate
Why it mattersAustralia risks losing the world's top talent and billions in education revenue if the trend accelerates; Canada's experience shows aggressive visa cuts can trigger a lasting exodus.
AustraliaUniversities face shrinking enrolments and research funding; the economy loses international students' spending and skilled workers; Australia's global reputation as a study destination is at risk.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 3 h ago
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