Australia has more than doubled student visa fees for international students from $710 to $1,600. The move will affect lakhs of Indians planning to study in the country.
The move has sparked outrage among student representatives, who say the price hike will drive potential students to competitors, ABC News reported Monday.
International student visa fees have increased from $710 to $1,600 from July 1. The federal government said the additional revenue would help fund initiatives in education, including reduction of graduate debt, financial support for apprentices and the ongoing implementation of its migration strategy, the report said.
“International education is an extremely important national asset and we need to ensure its integrity and quality,” Education Minister Jason Clare said in a statement.
According to the Indian High Commission in Canberra, the number of Indian students enrolled to study in Australia is estimated to be around 1,20,277 by August 2023, making Indian students the second-largest group of foreign students in Australia.
Meanwhile, the national president of the International Student Council of Australia, Yeganeh Soltanpour, condemned the decision, saying the fee hike and higher deposit costs put additional pressure on international students, reports ABC.
He said, “Facing rejection after spending so much money is quite disappointing for many students. Because of this, many in the student community are looking for other options and competitive countries.”
Phil Honeywood, chief executive of the International Education Association of Australia, told the ABC the announcement was the “final blow” to the international education sector, which is already suffering from a slowdown in visa approvals.
“We are literally at risk of losing a $48 billion a year industry,” he said, adding that it would have a “huge impact” on relationships with our Indo-Pacific neighbours who rely on Australia to provide world-class qualifications to young people. He warned that the change could drive potential students to the United Kingdom, Australia’s closest rival, which currently charges $900 for a student visa fee.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)