Australia’s student visa program, a major export sector, is undergoing changes to enhance integrity and prevent misuse. The Minister for Home Affairs has introduced measures to address concerns and ensure program compliance.
The first change restricts international students (subclass 500 visa holders) from enrolling in multiple courses until they have completed at least 6 months of their main course. Exceptions apply to those granted release from their main course. This prevents students from switching to cheaper vocational courses after starting a higher education program, which has been a growing concern.
To strengthen program integrity further, monitoring enrollments for compliance with visa condition 8202 is proposed. This condition mandates students to enroll full-time in a registered course, maintain satisfactory progress and attendance, and stay in a course at the same or higher level as their visa. Changing to a lower-level course requires a new visa, except for a drop from AQF level 10 to 9. Monitoring AQF level changes and taking action, such as visa cancellation notices, would deter exploitation, as breaching condition 8202 results in a 3-year ban on most temporary visas.
The second change increases the required evidence of financial capacity for study by 17% from October 1, 2023. The new amount, AUD 24,505, reflects the annual living costs for a primary applicant staying in Australia for 12 months or more. Financial evidence must also align with proportional increases in school costs and the income of the applicant’s parent, spouse, or de facto partner. These adjustments aim to ensure students can sustain themselves financially during their studies. The Department of Home Affairs may modify the Document Checklist Tool to demand additional financial evidence, particularly from higher-risk applicants.
Lastly, education providers could face scrutiny and penalties. High-risk providers, with high rates of fraudulent document applications and refusal rates, may receive suspension certificates, preventing them from enrolling international students. This may significantly impact affected providers due to the financial contribution of international students. While refusal rates are an indicative factor, they should not be the sole consideration. Institutions lack control over visa applications and do not provide visa advice. A comprehensive evaluation of provider integrity should include other indicators like high concurrent enrollments and low course completion rates.