Action to end rorts in Australian Student Visas

The Albanese Government recently announced a package of measures to support integrity in the international education system and to support genuine international students.

The Government has closed a loophole which allows education providers to shift international students who have been in Australia for less than six months from genuine study to an arrangement designed to facilitate access to work in Australia.

This change takes effect immediately.

From October 1, 2023, international students will need to show evidence of $24,505 in savings, which is a 17% increase on current levels. 

This change will ensure students coming to Australia to study can afford to support themselves and will not face increased risk of exploitation due to an urgent need for employment.

The Government will apply additional scrutiny to high-risk cohorts and ask for additional documents to prevent fraud in applications.

The Government will also consider using its powers under Section 97 of the Education Services for Overseas Students Act (ESOS Act) to issue suspension certificates to high-risk education providers. A suspension certificate means providers would not be able to recruit international students.

This would be the first time an Australian Government has used this power and reflects how seriously the Albanese Government takes the issue of dodgy providers. The Government will immediately begin consulting on possible regulations to set clear grounds for the use of suspension certificates, such as application rates with fraudulent documents and provider refusal rates. The Government is particularly concerned about more than 200 providers that currently have visa refusal rates higher than 50%.

The Government is considering further measures to strengthen integrity in the international education system as part of the Migration Strategy, which is due to be released later this year.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Education Jason Clare:

“International student numbers are almost back to where they were before the pandemic. That’s a good thing. International education is an extraordinarily valuable national asset.

“But there are also challenges in international education.  As students have come back, so have some dodgy and unscrupulous players who are trying to take advantage of them.  

Quotes attributable to Minister for Home Affairs Clare O’Neil:

“International education is our fourth largest export – it’s essential that we maintain our global reputation for quality education. Our government has no tolerance for people who exploit students.

“Our message is clear – the party is over, the rorts and loopholes that have plagued this system will be shut down.”