Dhaka-based news outlet BDNews24 reported on 4 October that Bangladesh remains in Tier 3 – the highest-risk category – under Australia’s latest country risk rating for student-visa applications. Data covering 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026 show refusal rates climbing above 50 %, the highest on record for Bangladeshi applicants. Home Affairs attributes the spike to fraudulent financial documents and non-genuine study intentions. The Tier 3 label means Bangladeshi students must supply enhanced financial evidence and may face interview requests, lengthening processing times to 8-10 weeks. Education agents in Dhaka say bookings for English-language tests have fallen 40 % since July as would-be students explore Canada and the UK instead. Australian universities, particularly in regional New South Wales and Victoria, rely on Bangladeshi enrolments in IT and engineering programmes. Charles Sturt University estimates it could lose $12 million in tuition revenue this academic year if refusal trends persist. Some institutions are partnering with Australian High Commission staff to run genuine-student seminars and pre-visa screening days in Dhaka. Corporate mobility teams should note that dependants of Tier 3 applicants also face tougher scrutiny, potentially delaying accompanying-family travel. Sponsoring employers may need to consider 482 skilled-worker pathways as alternatives for Bangladeshi talent. Observers say the development underscores Australia’s shift from volume-driven international education towards quality and integrity, dovetailing with the new offshore-application rule introduced this week.
Source: BDNews24
