Australia to cut down number of new international students in migration crackdown

Australia, where Indian students form the second largest group, is all set to introduce a cap on the number of new international students the country will accept.

The decision, which has angered the tertiary education industry, has been taken to cut down the overall migration of foreigners to pre-pandemic levels, media reports said.

Australia has one of the biggest international student markets in the world. But now, officials say the number of new enrolments will be limited to 270,000 for 2025.

Universities upset

A government announced on Tuesday said that each higher education institution will be given an individual restriction, with the biggest cuts to be borne by vocational education and training providers.

Some universities are furious with the move and have dubbed it "economic vandalism". But the government insists this will improve the quality and longevity of the sector.

Australia is host to about 717,500 international students, according to the latest government figures from early 2024.

Indian students in Australia

According to the Indian high According to the Indian high commission in Canberra, the number of Indian students enrolled in Australia is estimated to be at 1,20,277, as of August 2023.ommission in Canberra, the number of Indian students enrolled in Australia is estimated to be at 1,20,277, as of August 2023.

This makes the Indian students the second largest group among foreign students in Australia

Education minister Jason Clare said the number of international students in universities is now 10 per cent more than before COVID-19, while the number at private vocational and training providers was up 50 per cent.

Unethical conduct

The government has previously accused some providers of unethical conduct including accepting students who don't have the language skills to succeed, offering a poor standard of education or training, and enrolling people who intend to work instead of study.

"These reforms are designed to make it better and fairer, and set it up on a more sustainable footing going forward," Clare said.

The increasing migration levels in Australia have also added pressure to existing housing and infrastructure woes.

Enrolments at public universities will be cut back to 145,000 in 2025, which is around their 2023 levels, Clare said.

Private universities and non-university higher education providers will be able to enrol 30,000 new international students, while vocational education and training institutions will be limited to 95,000 students.

Fourth largest export

According to media reports, international education was worth $36.4bn Australian (US $24.7) to the Australian economy in 2022-23, making it the country's fourth largest export that year.

The proposed cuts are expected to cost the Australian economy $4.1 billion Australian and result in about 22,000 job losses in 2025.