Australia doubles international student visa fees from Today

From 1 July 2024, the application fee for the Australian student visa will increase by over 200%. The Australian government has been taking measures to curb the increasing international student migration.

"This increase reflects the increasing value of education in Australia and reflects the Government’s commitment to restoring integrity in the international education sector. The statement notes that the increase will help fund a number of important initiatives in education and migration, including the "ongoing implementation of the Migration Strategy," said the government release.

Phil Honeywood, CEO, International Education Association of Australia (IEAA) said on the X platform, "I can’t believe that, coming on top of the recent policy impacts on our sector, the Govt have today decided to increase non-refundable student visa fees from AUD $710 to $1600! This will make Australia more than double the cost of other countries. This is exploiting young people!."

“International education is an incredibly important national asset and we need to ensure its integrity and quality. These changes will strengthen integrity in the international education system and help to fund important reforms recommended by the Universities Accord, including making HECS fairer, paid prac and expanding FEE-Free Uni Ready courses," said Minister for Education, Jason Clare.

“Australia has a world-class education sector, one that draws international students from around the globe – so we need to make sure all students are getting the quality of education they pay for. We are continuing our work to weed out the unscrupulous providers who are looking to take advantage of international students. Most providers do the right thing and are in the business of education and training for the right reasons. They will benefit from the removal of non-genuine actors, who undermine integrity and trust in VET," said Minister for Skills and Training, Brendan O’Connor.

Visa application fee is hiked to fund various initiatives: Govt

The official statement said that through the increase in fee, the government will fund many important initiatives in education and migration sector including the ongoing implementation of the Migration Strategy, Vocational Education and Training sector that includes financial support for employees and apprentices and the measures advised by the Universities Accord such as paid prac and FEE-Free Uni Ready courses and making HECS fairer.

Other changes going forward

Following are the amendments implemented from 1 July 2024:

• Visa hopping is stopped by closing loopholes in the system.
• Increase in Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT) from $70,000 to $73,150
• Temporary Graduate Visas duration is shortened and the age limit is also reduced.
• Implementing the Strengthening Employer Compliance Bill 2023 to make a strong justice system against employers engaging in the exploitation of migrants.
• Increasing temporary skilled migrants' mobility to increase productivity and decrease exploitation.

Read more:

• Australia study visa grants down almost a third by April 2024, govt data
• Study in Australia: Applications open for University of Sydney International Scholarship