The Australian government has restricted the enrollment of international students and set a maximum enrollment limit of 270000 for public higher education and vocational training by 2025 to improve quality and fairness. Education Minister Claire stated that the measures aim to bring international student enrollment back to pre pandemic levels, with universities increasing enrollment by 10% and private vocational education reducing enrollment by nearly 50%. The background of policy adjustment is that the total number of international students in Australia exceeded 700000 in February this year, driving net immigration to a new high. Indeed, balanced development is key to avoiding excessive expansion in a single field. The government needs to closely monitor the implementation effects and adjust strategies in a timely manner to achieve a win-win situation for education and immigration policies.
Currently, the government needs to deepen education reform and housing policies, maintain the advantage of education exports, and promote healthy economic development. In September 2023, net immigration to Australia surged by 60%, exacerbating concerns about housing costs. After the epidemic, the Australian real estate market surged, with national housing prices rising by more than 40%. The median housing price in Sydney reached 965000 US dollars, contributing 36.4 billion Australian dollars (about 24.7 billion US dollars) to the economy in the 2022-2023 fiscal year, highlighting its core position in economic growth.
The Australian Universities Alliance expressed dissatisfaction with the government’s enrollment restrictions, stating that this move has impacted key areas of the economy. Alliance leader David Lloyd pointed out that international student tuition fees are an important source of economic vitality and higher education funding for Australia, supporting investment in research, teaching, and facilities. He emphasized that the investment of overseas students promotes the improvement of university quality. Under the current shortage of resources, reducing students will exacerbate the funding shortage and affect future development. Relevant parties are calling on the government to reassess policies, explore diversified funding sources, ensure a win-win situation between education and the economy, and maintain the international competitiveness of Australian higher education.
The Australian government’s policy of restricting international student enrollment has sparked some controversy and concerns. The government can strengthen regulation of educational institutions through regular evaluations, certifications, and reviews to ensure that they provide high-quality education and training. In terms of housing, the government can strengthen housing policies to address the housing issues of international students and other immigrant groups, including increasing public housing supply, encouraging the development of private rentals, and providing housing subsidies.
