Australia could cease to be preferred destination for students after visa fee hike
Indian students planning to migrate to Australia for higher education would likely require to revisit their plans as Canberra has more than doubled the visa fees for the international students.
New Delhi: Indian students planning to migrate to Australia for higher education would likely require to revisit their plans as Canberra has more than doubled the visa fees for the international students.
The move, reports said, is taken to control the massive in-flow of foreigners in the country.
"The additional revenue will help fund initiatives in education, including cuts to graduate debt, financial support for apprentices, and the ongoing implementation of its migration strategy", the federal government said as reported by ABC News.
The foreign students’ visa fee currently AUD 710 has been increased to AUD 1,600 and is applicable immediately i.e. from July 01, 2024, local media reported.
Australia of late had emerged as the preferred higher education destination for meritorious Indian students, ahead of even the United States.
The mover therefore has sparked outrage, especially among the Indian origin students who feel the preference Australia enjoyed so far could cease after the visa fee hike.
“The fee increase, combined with high deposit costs, places extra strain on international students. The possibility of spending all that money only to face rejection is quite disheartening for many students”, Yeganeh Soltanpour, National President of the Council of International Students Australia, said.
“It has caused many in the student community to explore other options and competitive countries,” she added.
Phil Honeywood, CEO of the International Education Association of Australia, told the ABC that the announcement was the “last straw” for the international education sector, which has already suffered from a slowdown in visa approvals.
“We are really in danger of losing a USD 48 billion a year industry,” he said, adding that it will “heavily impact” relationships with our Indo-Pacific neighbors who rely on Australia to deliver world-class qualifications to young people.
Phil warned that this change could drive prospective students to the United Kingdom, Australia’s closest competitor, which currently charges USD 900 for student visa fees.
According to the Indian High Commission in Canberra, the number of Indian students enrolled for studying in Australia is estimated at around 1,20,277 as of August 2023, making Indian students the second largest cohort of foreign students in Australia.
Select Language To Read in Urdu, Hindi, Marathi or Arabic.
Post Comments