New Directive from Minister Aims to Reduce International Student Intake in Australia
With a revised forecast pushing net migration to 340,000, a new ministerial direction has been issued by Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke to limit international student numbers. The previous direction was considered unfair for regional universities.
The government is aiming to restrict immigration into the country after a proposed student cap failed to pass the Senate in November. Instead of legislating the cap, the government has instructed immigration officials to slow down visa processing.
Under the new Ministerial Direction 111, officials will prioritize student visa applications for up to 80 percent of a university’s allocated cap. Once this threshold is reached, the application process will slow down to allow smaller universities or TAFEs to catch up.
The previous Ministerial Direction 107 was criticized for favoring “lower risk” universities, benefiting larger providers like the Group of Eight while smaller institutions faced more rejections.
Education Minister Jason Clare believes the new Direction will benefit regional, suburban, and TAFE institutions, ensuring a more balanced distribution of international students.
The removal of the previous directive was welcomed by the university sector, with Universities Australia CEO Luke Sheehy highlighting the financial harm caused by MD107.
Amid slowing departure rates, the Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook (MYEFO) update revealed a higher than expected net migration of 340,000 for the current financial year. The forecast predicts a moderate decrease in net migration numbers for the following years.
Migration Forecast Adjusted Amid Slowing Departure Rates
The government has been criticized by the Coalition for its failure to manage net overseas migration effectively. If elected, the Coalition plans to reduce permanent migration numbers and maintain tighter control over international student caps.
Minister for Skills and Training Andrew Giles expressed astonishment at the opposition’s decision not to support legislating student caps, emphasizing the importance of maintaining integrity and certainty in the international education sector.
