Strengthening Australia’s International Education System

Introduction: To protect genuine international students and preserve the integrity of Australia’s international education sector, the Albanese Government has announced a comprehensive set of reforms.
International education is Australia’s fourth-largest export industry, making a significant contribution to the economy and strengthening global relationships. These new measures focus on closing loopholes, reducing misuse, and enhancing overall quality within the sector.

1 Closing the Loophole A major change targets a loophole that previously allowed certain education providers to help international students—who had been in Australia for less than six months—switch from genuine study to arrangements aimed at gaining work access.

Effective immediately:

• Secondary providers cannot enrol students until they have completed six months of study with their original institution.
• This prevents predatory operators from exploiting students and helps maintain the sector’s credibility.

2 Updated Financial Requirements To ensure students can support themselves and avoid financial exploitation, the government has updated the minimum savings requirement for a student visa.

From 1 October 2023:

• Applicants must show proof of $24,505 AUD in savings.
• This is a 17% increase, reflecting rising living costs.
• The change ensures students can live safely and securely during their studies.

3 Stronger Scrutiny & Fraud Prevention To further protect the system, the government will increase checks and require more documentation from high-risk student groups.

The goal is to:

• Detect and prevent fraudulent applications
• Ensure only genuine students enter the system
• Strengthen trust in Australian education providers

4 Using ESOS Act Powers Against High-Risk Providers For the first time, the government is considering using its powers under Section 97 of the ESOS Act to issue suspension certificates to high-risk education providers.

This would prevent them from recruiting international students if they:

• Have high rates of fraudulent documents in applications
• Display concerning refusal patterns
• Fail to meet quality standards

Clear criteria will be developed with stakeholders, marking a strong stance against substandard providers.

5 Future Measures Under the Migration Strategy These reforms are just the beginning.
As part of the new Migration Strategy set to be released later this year, the government plans to introduce more actions to further strengthen the sector.

Conclusion: The Albanese Government’s latest measures demonstrate a firm commitment to protecting genuine students and ensuring a high-quality, ethical, and trustworthy international education system.

By:

• Closing loopholes
• Increasing financial requirements
• Tightening fraud checks
• Targeting high-risk providers
• Preparing future reforms

Australia continues to build a fair, safe, and reputable environment for international students to pursue their dreams and contribute to the nation’s future workforce.