Australia Government New Migration Strategy and Requirements for International Students

Australia Government announced new Migration Strategy on 11 December 2023 and tougher requirements for international students. The tougher, strict and high requirements for enrolment into higher study will reduce the number of students coming to Australia every year and definitely affect the foreign income of AUS$30 billion-per-year from international education sector. However, the new policies will reduce the number of non-genuine students. The new migration strategy aims to reduce the current migration levels. It will halve the number of net migrants within two years by imposing tougher tests on international students and turning away workers with low skills.

**Some post-study work visa duration and rights have been reduced. Therefore, the students can not stay longer in Australia after completing their study unless they qualify and get permanent residency (PR) visa.

**The financial requirement for living expenses has been increased for new student visa applications. The financial requirement for visa applicants has been raised by 17% to AUS$24,505.

**All international students have to prove that they are real student for future career growth and learning by showing “Genuine Student Test” that will discourage non-genuine students.

**English-language requirements have been increased for new student and graduate visa applicants that are discussed below.

**Third key action of new migration strategy is to strengthen the integrity and quality of international education by lifting the standards for international students and education providers leading to high quality graduates who will be able to fulfil skills shortages and do not become permanently temporary.

**Additional scrutiny will be applied to check non-genuine students and high-risk student applications.

**Tight measures will be applied on unethical education providers.

**The misuse of Australia’s student visa system will be reduced.

**The requirements for international education providers will be increased.

**Restricting onshore visa hopping that undermines system integrity.

**New policies will strengthen and simplify Temporary Graduate visas.

**Permanent temporariness will be terminated by (i) shortening graduate visas and (ii) not prolonging their stay in Australia if they have fewer prospects to get permanent resident visas.

**Too many students prolong their stay in Australia by doing one course to another course, and one visa to another visa, because they are not eligible to apply for permanent residency. The students will now need to prove that their Australian study will improve either their career or learning. For example, a PhD student may be unable to successfully apply for a student visa to do a hospitality course.

**The current number of international students are now higher than what they were in 2019.

**The VET sector education providers help non-genuine students to get student visa and stay longer in Australia. Therefore, the government will impose strict control and regulations on the high-risk education providers.

**The post-study work rights will not be extended with exception in regional areas.

**Subclass 485 Temporary Graduate visa limits have been changed:

Bachelor’s degrees will get two years of work visa.

Master’s by coursework degrees have been reduced from three years to two years.

Master’s by research degrees remain at three years.

PhDs have been reduced from four years to three years.

**New points test will make faster pathways to permanent residency for graduates working in skilled jobs.

**English-language requirement threshold will be changed and increased to obtain Australian visas from early 2024.

For the Temporary Graduate Visa, the required IELTS score will change from 6.0 to 6.5.

For the Student Visa, the required score will increase from 5.5 to 6.0;

For students doing courses with an English-language training provider (ELICOS), the score changes from a 4.5 to a 5.0; For students going into university foundation or pathway programmes, the IELTS score will be 5.5.

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