Australia’s universities are scrambling to quantify the fallout from the Government’s decision to bar most international students from bringing dependants. Vice-chancellors told ABC News on 17 September that the measure undermines Australia’s competitiveness just as rival destinations are increasing post-study work rights. International education is Australia’s fourth-largest export, worth about AU$55 billion and supporting 250,000 jobs. Sector leaders argue that mature-age students—especially master’s candidates from India, Malaysia and China—often choose destination countries based on family-friendly policies. CONSULTANTS say Canada saw enrolments spike by 15 per cent in 2024 after introducing an open-work permit for spouses. Perth migration agent Manpreet Mann notes that Australia already raised the student-visa application charge to AU$2,500 in July 2026, making it one of the most expensive in the world. Removing the possibility of bringing family, he says, “makes Australia an even harder sell”. Universities Australia is lobbying for an annual quota of family visas tied to high-demand courses such as cybersecurity and nursing, arguing this would balance demographic concerns with skills shortages. They also want assurances that secondary-visa holders currently in Australia will have clear pathways to extend status once primary students complete their studies. Global mobility teams should prepare for a shift in student demand patterns. Corporate scholarship programs and graduate-recruitment pipelines that rely on bringing overseas students’ families may need to adjust compensation packages or explore partner-work visas in New Zealand and Canada.
Source: ABC News
