Photo credit: SBS
Australia will limit the enrolment of international students to 270,000 in 2025 as the government looks to control migration, which has continued unabatedly to the extent that there has been an unprecedented increase in home rentals.
Reuters reports that the decision follows a series of actions to end COVID-era concessions since last year. These concessions were for foreign students and workers in the country, which helped businesses recruit staff locally while strict border controls kept overseas workers out.
Education minister Jason Clare said, “There are about 10% more international students in our universities today than before the pandemic, and about 50% more in our private vocational and training providers.”
Enrolment for new international students will be capped at 145,000 for universities, which is about 2023 levels, and 95,000 for practical and skills-based courses.
Universities Australia chairman, Professor David Lloyd said, “We acknowledge the government’s right to control migration numbers, but this should not be done at the expense of any one sector, particularly one as economically important as education.”
However, polls have shown that voters are concerned about large numbers of foreign students and workers putting excess pressure on the housing market, making immigration the potential major battleground in an election less than a year away.
