Australia to cap international students as rents skyrocket

Beginning in January 2025, Australia will limit the number of international students at universities and vocational education institutions to reduce the flow of immigrants and curb the rise in rents.

The Australian Minister of Education announced that from January 2025, the number of international students will be capped at 270,000. As noted by Reuters, the issue of immigration could become one of the key topics in the upcoming election campaign.

Data from the local education department show that in 2024, the number of international students in Australian educational institutions increased by over 18 percent compared to the previous year.

Australian universities recognized the government's authority to regulate migration. However, as noted by Professor David Lloyd, chair of Universities Australia, they emphasized that such measures should not harm any sector, particularly one as vital to the economy as education. Education is Australia's fourth-largest "export commodity" after iron ore, gas, and coal.

The government announced last year that the changes also aim to eliminate "suspicious educational operators" from the market. It was emphasized that over the past two decades, the number of international students has increased 2.5 times, with the largest growth seen among students from China, whose numbers have more than tripled.

Additionally, Australia recently significantly increased the cost of student visas and tightened regulations to prevent the long-term or indefinite extension of temporary visas by their holders.