SYDNEY – Australia said on July 1 it had more than doubled the visa fee for international students, the latest move by the government to rein in record migration that has intensified pressure on an already tight housing market.
“The changes coming into force today will help restore integrity to our international education system, and create a migration system which is fairer, smaller and better able to deliver for Australia,” Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil said in a statement. The rise in fees makes applying for a student visa for Australia far more expensive than in competing countries like the US and Canada, where they cost about US$185 and C$150 respectively.
The latest move follows a raft of actions since late 2023 to tighten the student visa rules, as the lifting of Covid-19 curbs in 2022 boosted annual migration to record levels.need to get a visa was raised in May to A$29,710 from A$24,505, the second increase in about seven months.