31/12/2023
Australia stands as one of the preferred overseas study destinations for Indian students. According to governmental statistics, a minimum of 1.09 lakh Indian students pursued education in Australia in 2022. This figure has consistently risen since 2019, when it amounted to 73808.
However, it experienced a dip to 33629 in 2020 and further to 8950 in 2021 due to the Covid pandemic.
Nevertheless, the recent policy shifts by the Australian government, involving the tightening of visa regulations and enhancing the rigor of English language examinations, have instilled concerns among Indian students.
The Australian government has opted to elevate the minimum English language prerequisites for both student and graduate visas. This entails an escalation in the essential scores for English proficiency assessments like IELTS, TOEFL, and DuoLingo. Under the updated regulations, commencing early in 2024, the requisite test score for a Temporary Graduate visa will climb from an IELTS score of 6.0 to 6.5. Similarly, for a student visa, it will ascend from IELTS (or equivalent) 5.5 to 6.0.
Moreover, a novel Genuine Student test will be introduced for all international students. This test aims to encourage applications from authentic students while dissuading non-genuine students, primarily seeking employment rather than education in Australia's international education system. The Genuine Student test replaces the existing Genuine Temporary Entrant requirement, acknowledging available post-study temporary migration pathways for eligible individuals. Simultaneously, it emphasizes that the majority of international students in Australia will eventually return to their home countries.
Additionally, the government has resolved to subject high-risk student applications to increased scrutiny and take decisive action against unscrupulous education providers.
