The Coalition’s migration policy requires careful examination. However, the evidence suggests international student numbers are already falling under current policy settings.
Latest Department of Home Affairs data shows higher education visa applications are down 9 per cent compared with last year, while visa grants have fallen 17 per cent.
Group of Eight (Go8) Chief Executive, Vicki Thomson, said the Go8 supports measures that strengthen the integrity of Australia’s migration and education systems, but warned against treating all international education as part of the migration debate.
“We support measures that strengthen the integrity of Australia’s migration and education systems and have consistently backed action against poor-quality providers. But not all international education is the same, and policy should reflect that reality.
“Retaining partner visa eligibility for Higher Degree by Research students is a sensible recognition of their value to Australia. Go8 universities educate more than 13,800 international PhD students, representing 54 per cent of the national total. These are the researchers, innovators and future experts helping drive Australia’s economic and research capability
“The same principle applies to Temporary Graduate Visas. Not all graduates are the same, and not all institutions deliver the same outcomes. We’re talking about graduates from world-class Australian universities who go on to fill critical skills shortages, drive innovation and strengthen Australia’s future capability.
“These are not just graduates. They are future engineers, researchers and technology specialists with the skills Australia needs to grow its economy and tackle future challenges
“A targeted approach focused on quality outcomes is far preferable to a one-size-fits-all approach. It would be risky to assume Australia can maintain this pipeline of highly skilled talent if pathways such as the Temporary Graduate Visa are removed.
“The risk of folding international education into the migration debate is that policy becomes driven by headline numbers rather than what Australia actually needs: skills, capability and economic growth.
“We want to work constructively with the Coalition to ensure policy settings target poor outcomes without undermining a sector that is helping build Australia’s future workforce, research capability and national competitiveness.”