Australia will begin enforcing stricter visa rules for foreign students this week as official data shows migration has hit a record high, further aggravating an already tight rental market. The English language requirement for student and graduate visas will increase from Saturday. At the same time, if educational institutions repeatedly violate the rules, the government will have the power to suspend the recruitment of international students. Australia's Home Affairs Minister Claire O'Neill said in a statement that the actions taken this weekend will continue to reduce migration levels, while meeting our commitments in the Migration Strategy to fix the broken system we inherited. Will be done.
A new true student test will be implemented
A new genuine student test will be introduced to crack down on international students who want to come to Australia primarily to work. When the no further stay condition will be used on a visitor visa. The measures follow steps taken last year to end Covid-era concessions introduced by the previous government, including unrestricted working hours for international students. The government said at the time that rules would be tightened for students who could halve their overseas admissions within two years.
Rules were relaxed after Covid
Australia has increased its annual migration numbers to meet the shortfall after imposing strict border controls and keeping out foreign students and workers for almost two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.