Australian universities are having a tough time because not many international student visas are getting approved. This might make Australia less appealing compared to other places. People are worried that these low approval rates, the lowest since 2011, could mean a big loss of money, up to $310 million, for the education sector.
In a webinar by the International Education Association of Australia on February 29, they said the approval rate hit a low point in September 2023, going down to just 66.4%. Jon Chew from Navitas shared data showing that in the past 12 months, five out of the ten lowest approval rates happened, with seven in the last 18 months.
The main reason for this is thought to be the new migration plan from the Australian government, announced in December. Many in the international sector blame this plan for the drop in visa approval rates. While there are some good reasons for the low rates, like reviews and media talking about fake colleges, Chew said it’s an unusual situation, making things uncertain for students.
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