Australian opposition proposes drastic cuts to international student immigration rights

The Australian opposition coalition has proposed sweeping changes to immigration policies, including the elimination of post-study work rights for international students. The Liberal-National party coalition also plans to ban most international students from bringing family members into the country and require temporary migrants to leave before applying for follow-up visas. These measures are part of what the coalition calls the “biggest cut to immigration in the history of this country.”

The coalition’s ‘Australia-first migration plan’ aims to reduce the stock of temporary visa holders by around 650,000 over four years. It also plans to slash asylum applications and “virtually eliminate bridging visas.” Skilled migration will focus on employer-sponsored applicants meeting high-quality criteria for income, age, English, and full-time work. The opposition would also reverse Labor’s restrictions on working holiday visas, which are crucial for regional Australia’s workforce.

Universities Australia and the Group of Eight have criticized the plan, warning of lasting damage to the country’s international education sector. CEO Luke Sheehy of Universities Australia stated that the plan risks undermining a “world-class international education sector” that has been supported for nearly four decades. The Group of Eight emphasized the need to compete for global research talent rather than deter it, noting that international student numbers are already falling under current policies.

The coalition’s reforms are expected to cut international student commencements to 240,000 by 2025, down from about 467,000. Post-study transitional visas would only be available to students at regional universities, those studying health or education, or those completing PhDs. The coalition claims the reforms will generate a small positive budget impact of around A$260 million (£137 million) over four years.