Australia has implemented stricter visa regulations for international students, including Nigerians, in a bid to curb a surge in migration.
The new measures, announced by Home Affairs Minister Claire O’Neil, aim to ensure genuine students seeking quality education, not just work opportunities.
The changes include increased English language requirements for student and graduate visas. Additionally, the government gains the power to suspend education providers from recruiting international students if they repeatedly violate regulations. This could be a significant blow to universities heavily reliant on foreign student enrollment fees.
“The actions this weekend will continue to drive migration levels down while delivering on our commitments in the migration strategy to fix the broken system we inherited,” O’Neil said.
A “genuine student test” will be introduced to identify students primarily aiming to work in Australia after graduation. Visitor visas will also face stricter conditions, with a potential “no further stay” clause to limit visa extensions.
These measures follow a series of actions last year to roll back relaxed visa rules implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic. These included unrestricted working hours for international students, a policy seen as a magnet for those prioritizing work over studies. The government’s stated goal is to halve its migrant intake over the next two years.
Data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics on Thursday showed net immigration rose 60% to a record 548,800 in the year to Sept. 30, 2023, higher than the 518,000 people in the year ending June 2023.
Overall, Australia’s population rose 2.5% – the fastest pace on record – to 26.8 million people in the year to last September.
