In their latest statement, the Labour government proposed a further increase in international student visa fees to AUD$2,000, aiming to raise $760 million to fund their election promises. While it may seem like a quick and easy way to plug budget holes, this move raises serious concerns — and highlights a growing absence of common sense in Australia’s policymaking.
Any farmer would tell you: “Don’t count your chickens before they hatch.” Yet this is precisely what the government appears to be doing.
There are at least two major reasons why this decision is short-sighted:
1. Australia Is Losing Its Competitive Edge
Australia is not the only country offering high-quality international education. With our distance from the rest of the world, high travel costs, skyrocketing living expenses, and a chronic shortage of student accommodation, studying in Australia is already an expensive proposition.
Adding another cost barrier will only deter genuine students — especially those seeking a high-quality education rather than purely economic migration outcomes. Countries like Canada, the UK, and even emerging destinations in Europe and Asia are aggressively competing for international talent. Why would a student choose Australia when the country keeps making it harder, more expensive, and more uncertain?
2. Trust and Reputation Are Being Eroded
Students today are not desperate — they have options. And students who have the freedom to choose will think at least three times before picking Australia.
Australia’s reputation in international education has already been battered by broken promises during COVID-19, visa backlogs, policy backflips, and now shifting regulatory landscapes that place students’ future visas — and futures — at risk.
International students invest tens of thousands of dollars — often supported by families and communities — in the hope of building a better life. By treating them as cash cows to fill budget gaps, Australia sends a clear message: we see you as a transaction, not a long-term investment.
A Short-Term Money Grab
It is truly sad — and alarming — to see one of Australia’s largest export industries being systematically dismantled for short-term election gains.
While Labour and the Coalition squabble over minor differences, they are both clearly placing their bets on non-renewable resources — industries that are being sold off cheaply with no concern for future sustainability. Meanwhile, future industries — those built on research, development, innovation, and international collaboration — are being shut down by serial politicians with no vision for the future.
International education has been a cornerstone of Australia’s global engagement and soft power for decades. Unless Australia quickly reconsiders its priorities, it risks not just losing market share in international education but also squandering the opportunity to build the kind of smart, future-proof economy it desperately needs.
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