Australia’s plan to cap international student numbers likely to be blocked
Australia’s plan to cap international student numbers looks set to be blocked after opposition politicians decided to vote against the proposed laws
Australia’s plan to cap international student numbers looks set to be blocked after opposition politicians decided to vote against the proposed laws, even after they had repeatedly urged cuts to migration.
The Australian parliament was expected to debate the legislation in the coming two weeks, the final sitting period for the year. The government said it would limit foreign student commencements at 270,000 for 2025 under the new laws.
The plan comes as the center-left Labor government seeks solutions to a surge in immigration and an unprecedented housing crisis ahead of a federal election due by May.
Australia’s 270,000 enrollment cap: What’s next for international students?
Sarah Henderson, education spokesperson for the center-right Liberal-National coalition, said Monday that the bill is “chaotic and confusing” and fails to address “the structural issues” the government has created.
“We cannot support measures which will only serve to compound this crisis of the government’s making. Based on their record so far we have absolutely no confidence the government is capable of fixing its immigration mess,” Henderson said in a statement. The Greens Party has also rejected the proposed laws, leaving the government without the numbers in the Australian Senate to pass the legislation.
Subscribe to The Bloomberg Australia Podcast on Apple, Spotify, on YouTube, or wherever you listen.
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has previously said he would limit net international migration, including students, to 160,000, without specifically outlining how the numbers would be achieved.
Australia caps foreign students to 270,000 in 2025 as part of a migration crackdown
The proposed law would bring the number of new international students across higher education and vocational training back to pre-pandemic levels, the government has said.
“You can’t talk tough on immigration and then vote against putting a limit on the number of people that come to this country every year,” Education Minister Jason Clare told Parliament on Monday, responding to the Opposition’s policy shift.
Canada to allow international students work 24 hours per week off-campus, here’s what Indian aspirants should know
Speaking after the announcement, Universities Australia Chief Executive Officer Luke Sheehy said the decision to block the law merely lengthened “a phony war blaming international students on the migration and housing issue.”
“Both sides of politics need to get real about investing in Australia’s world-class university sector that relies so much on international student revenue,” he said.
