The Australian Government has initiated stricter visa regulations for Nigerian students and others from abroad who are considering moving to the country, in response to an unprecedented surge in migration. Starting Saturday, these new regulations will raise the English language requirements for student and graduate visas. Additionally, the government will have the authority to halt the recruitment of international students by educational institutions if they consistently violate regulations.
Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil stated, “With the new measures kicking in this weekend, we aim to reduce migration levels while fulfilling our migration strategy promises to mend the flawed system we inherited.”
Further measures include the introduction of a “genuine student test” to more rigorously vet international students primarily seeking work opportunities in Australia, and the application of “no further stay” conditions on a greater number of visitor visas. These steps are part of a series of actions taken last year to reverse the previous government’s COVID-era policies, which allowed international students unlimited work hours. The government had announced plans to tighten student standards, potentially cutting migrant numbers by half within two years.
In 2022, Australia raised its annual migration cap to address workforce shortages caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to strict border controls and prevented foreign students and workers from entering for nearly two years.
The influx of international workers and students has since exacerbated pressures on an already strained rental market.
Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics released on Thursday shows a 60% increase in net migration to a record high of 548,800 in the fiscal year ending September 30, 2023, up from 518,000 in the previous fiscal year.
Consequently, Australia’s population growth rate hit a record 2.5%, reaching 26.8 million people in the year to September. This wave of migration, primarily driven by students from India, China, and the Philippines, has helped increase the labor supply and keep wage growth in check, but has further strained the housing market, with rental vacancies at record lows and rising construction costs hindering new housing developments.
Minister O’Neil noted that since September, the government’s measures have led to a reduction in migration levels, with the issuance of foreign student visas falling by 35% compared to the previous year.
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