Australia Enforces Stricter Visa Regulations for Students and Workers

Australia has declared that it will tighten visa requirements for overseas students and low-skilled workers, potentially reducing its immigration intake by half over the next two years. 

Before the official publication of the government’s plan, Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil announced the decision, stating that it is anticipated to cut the number of immigrants admitted by half during the following two years.

The new regulations will force overseas students to receive higher scores on English proficiency exams and subject them to more scrutiny when applying for a second visa, which will extend their stay in the nation. The Australian government is reviewing the migration system, which it has called “broken.”

Clare O’Neil stated, “We’ve worked around the clock to find the ideal balance in Australia’s migration system.”

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Peaked net immigration

The forecast that net immigration will peak at 510,000 in 2022–2023 led to the decision to enact the additional limitations. According to official data, it is expected to decline to around a quarter of a million in 2024–2025 and 2025–2026, roughly matching the numbers observed before the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It goes beyond just the numbers. It goes beyond this instant and the current migration experience that our nation is going through. “This concerns Australia’s future,” O’Neil stated in the Reuters piece.

The nation’s migration figures must decline to a more sustainable level, according to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who also said the current system is flawed.

O’Neil claims that Australia’s targeted reforms are expected to contribute to the anticipated decrease in the number of migrants, as they are already positively impacting the net amount of foreign migration. According to the minister of home affairs, international students were the reason behind the rise in net overseas migration in 2022–2023.

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Increased Migration to Address the Labour Deficit

The nation increased its yearly migration figures last year to assist companies in hiring more people to make up for the shortages caused by the tight border restrictions put in place due to the pandemic, which kept foreign workers and students out of the country for almost two years.

Still, the country’s already tight rental market is under further strain due to the rapid influx of international students and workers. According to a Sydney Morning Herald newspaper study, 62% of Australian voters thought that there was too much immigration to their country.

According to the latest news, Australia’s Labor government sought to expedite the arrival of highly talented individuals and their path towards permanent residency, given the country’s historical reliance on immigration to meet its labour shortage.

They will have access to a new type of visa designed to help businesses hire highly skilled migrants, as competition from other developed economies for these workers is still fierce.

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