The University of Melbourne announced its opposition to the Albanese government’s plans to impose an international student cap on universities and vocational schools in an attempt to curb immigration levels in Australia.
According to the University of Melbourne, the proposed international student cap will “wreak havoc” on the education sector and harm Australia’s reputation among international students.
“These caps are penalising the sector for a temporary, larger-than-expected increase in student numbers due primarily to the pandemic lag effect. Already the number of international students granted visas to come to Australia has decreased dramatically, with student visa grants down 34 percent in March compared to the same time in 2023,” said Deputy-Vice Chancellor (Global, Culture, and Engagement) Professor Michael Wesley in a statement.
The current international student cap policy was initially announced in a May 11 joint media release where the government empowered the minister of education to set the maximum allocation of new international students that education providers can accept.
The proposed legislation was also part of the government’s new migration strategy to address existing problems with regards to the country’s national migration policy.
“These reforms are designed to ensure the integrity, quality and ongoing sustainability of this vitally important sector,” said Education Minister Jason Clare.
Latest data from the Ministry of Education showed that there were 741,224 international students in the year-to-date March 2024, a 16 percent increase in enrollments in the same period in 2019.
China, India, Nepal, the Philippines, and Vietnam are the top countries of origin of international students in Australia.
“With international student visa grants back to pre-pandemic levels, the focus now shifts to ensuring numbers in the sector are managed more strategically over the long-term,” said Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neill.
However, the University of Melbourne said that the international student cap will reduce funding for teaching and research, which could lead to job losses and course cancellations.
The university expressed concern that the Albanese government did not consult the universities before legislating the said proposal.
“We are urging the government to prioritise integrity measures in 2025, and use existing regulatory frameworks, focusing on bad actors within the higher education sector. We also recommend implementation of any caps be deferred until 2026, to allow feasible implementation and an orderly transition to reduce the risks of a shock to the sector and the economy,” Mr. Wesley said.
