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International Education: A Global Comparison

27.01.25

For many years, Australia, the UK, and Canada have all sought to attract international students, largely focusing on quality assurance systems for the education provided and visa systems that determine student entry, work rights, and length of stay. This model worked well and led to steady growth in international student numbers, with Australia seeing an average annual increase of about 5% since 2005.

However, after the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent surge in international student numbers, governments in these countries became concerned about the rapid growth and the strain on infrastructure and services. This led to a series of policy changes to manage the influx of students.

Canada's Response

In Canada, the number of international students grew by 30% per year post-pandemic, reaching over one million students by 2023. To manage this, the Canadian government announced a 35% cap on new international students in vocational and undergraduate programs for 2024. These caps vary by province and territory, disproportionately affecting urban areas like Toronto, where international students are concentrated.

The UK's Approach

The UK also saw a surge in international student numbers, reaching over 750,000, largely driven by students from non-EU countries. In response, the UK government stopped allowing international students to bring their partners and children, leading to a 16% decline in student visa applications in the following year.

Australia's Response

In Australia, the initial attempt to control the surge through Ministerial Direction 107, introduced in December 2023, aimed to restrict student visa applications, particularly for students from India and low-income countries. However, this approach had negative consequences, including disproportionate impacts on universities in regional areas and those with fewer international students, undermining the government’s goal of increasing the diversity of both the student population and educational providers.

The New Policy in Australia

Now, the Australian government is shifting its approach. Starting in 2025, universities and colleges will be given quotas for the number of international students they can admit. Larger universities, which enrol a higher proportion of international students, will face the largest cuts. Their caps will be set at levels between their 2019 and 2023 student numbers. Smaller universities and providers with fewer international students will have their caps set at 2023 levels. Private colleges, which often offer more affordable vocational programs, will also face significant reductions. In contrast, public universities and TAFEs with lower proportions of international students will likely see an increase in international student numbers. The policy aims to spread international students more evenly across the country and reduce overcrowding in major cities like Sydney and Melbourne.

What’s Next?

The future beyond 2025 is uncertain, as the details of the new policy will be shaped through negotiations between the newly established Australian Tertiary Education Commission and individual institutions. What is clear, however, is that Australia is adopting a more stringent and complex system of managing international student enrolments than its competitors, the UK and Canada. This shift marks a significant departure from the more laissez-faire approach that has characterised Australia’s international education sector for decades.

The new caps are expected to make it more difficult for international students to study at Australia's largest and most prestigious universities. While public universities and TAFEs may benefit from the new policy, the overall effect of these caps will depend on how the system is implemented and how it affects the broader educational ecosystem.

 

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