Australia raises minimum English language requirements for international students. Taking the IELTS test as an example, the English language score requirement for students applying for a graduate temporary work visa will be raised from 6.0 to 6.5, while the English language score requirement for student visa applicants will be raised from 5.5 to 6.0. According to a Reuters report on the 11th, the Australian government announced on the same day that it would tighten visa regulations for international students and low-skilled workers in order to reform the "broken" immigration system. According to reports, the number of immigrants in Australia may be reduced by half in the next two years after the implementation of new regulations.
Australian media said that the Australian government’s decision was made after net migration figures reached a record peak of 510,000 people from 2022 to 2023. Australian Home Affairs Minister O'Neill said this was mainly caused by the increase in international students. The Australian Broadcasting Corporation stated that the increase in international students was previously considered to be a return wave of international students after the COVID-19 epidemic, but the Australian government now believes that this is not just a temporary phenomenon, but a broader trend. Australian Prime Minister Albanese said over the weekend that Australia's immigration levels needed to return to sustainable levels.
According to a press release issued by the Australian Department of Home Affairs on the 11th, Australia’s new “Immigration Strategy” outlines five core goals: providing targeted skilled immigration strategies and new simplified paths for top global talents; raising the threshold for international students and educational institutions to improve the quality of international education; adjusting visa settings to address the exploitation of workers; providing support for Australia’s rapid acquisition of skilled workers, etc.
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation said that one of the most affected groups is international students. The main measures of the immigration strategy reform include: increasing the minimum English language requirements for international students. Taking the IELTS test as an example, the report said that the English language score requirement for students applying for a graduate temporary work visa will be increased from 6.0 points to 6.5 points, while the English language score requirement for student visa applicants will be increased from 5.5 points to 6.0 points. The new measures will also impose stricter scrutiny on second-time visa applicants, including a fidelity test. For temporary skilled immigrants, the income threshold required by the new regulations has been increased from 52,900 Australian dollars (approximately 249,000 yuan) to 70,000 Australian dollars. The Australian Broadcasting Corporation stated that the purpose of the latest immigration strategy is to strive to retain the best students and attract more high-skilled permanent immigrants.
Regarding whether Australia's new measures will reduce the number of international students, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation quoted Honeywood, CEO of the Australian International Education Association, as saying that the government's new measures will focus on the lower end of the education industry, mainly targeting private colleges that do not provide high-quality education. "For typical public universities, we do not think there will be a big change in the number of students."