Two prominent Australian universities, the University of Wollongong and La Trobe University, have recently made headlines by canceling certificates of enrolment for international students. This move comes in response to a notable increase in rejection rates for study visa applications, particularly affecting students from Pakistan and India. The Times Higher Education has reported on this trend, shedding light on the challenges faced by aspiring international students from these regions.
Visa Guide has highlighted that the issuance of study visas has reached unprecedented lows, with a significant impact on students, particularly those hailing from India and Bangladesh.
This development follows the migration strategy announcement made by Australia’s newly elected Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, in December of the previous year. The strategy is designed to enhance fairness by curbing ‘visa hopping’ between different temporary visas that lack a clear pathway to permanent residency.
The Australian government has implemented a prioritization system for student visa applications based on risk levels associated with respective institutions. This has affected 18 universities categorized as “higher-risk providers.”
The situation is expected to persist for approximately two months until risk ratings are slated for an update, according to the Association of Australian Education Representatives in India.
Reports indicate that in the latter half of the previous year, Australia rejected 21% of international student visa applications. The refusal rates were particularly high, with 37% for applicants from Pakistan, 39% from India, and 52% from Nepal.
The Koala International Education News has reported on an email from the University of Wollongong, stating that students who are unlikely to meet the new criteria should consider either withdrawing their offer and receiving a refund or deferring their offer.
This underscores the substantial and far-reaching implications of the evolving visa landscape on the educational pursuits of international students, prompting universities to adjust their enrolment strategies in response to the shifting dynamics of visa issuance.
