The Australian Government has announced it will commence the enforcement of tougher visa rules for Nigerian students and their foreign counterparts planning to move to the country as the number of migrants hit a record high.
Reuters reports that from Saturday, English language requirements for student and graduate visas will be increased, adding that the government will get the power to suspend education providers from recruiting international students if they repeatedly break rules.
“The actions this weekend will continue to drive migration levels down while delivering on our commitments in the migration strategy to fix the broken system we inherited,” Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil said in a statement.
The report said that a new “genuine student test” will be introduced to further crack down on international students who look to come to Australia primarily to work, while the imposition of “no further stay” conditions will be used on more visitor visas.
The development follows a raft of actions last year to close off COVID-era concessions introduced by the former government, including unrestricted working hours for international students.
The government at the time said rules would be tightened for students that could halve its migrant intake over two years.
Australia boosted its annual migration numbers in 2022 to help businesses recruit staff to fill shortages after the COVID-19 pandemic brought strict border controls, and kept foreign students and workers out for nearly two years.
However, the sudden influx of foreign workers and students has increased pressure on an already tight rental market.
Australian Bureau of Statistics on Thursday showed net immigration rose 60% to a record 548,800 in the year to Sept. 30, 2023, higher than the 518,000 people in the year ending June 2023.
Overall, Australia’s population rose 2.5% – the fastest pace on record – to 26.8 million people in the year to last September.
