Australian universities, vocational and English-language colleges are grappling with a crisis in student visa processing. 

Reports say there has been a historically high number of visa refusals for international students, with thousands missing the crucial initial weeks of their university education due to extended processing times. 

Institutions report a lack of clarity and coherence in the approval process, causing widespread confusion and frustration.

December saw a striking instance in which not a single offshore visa application from Indian students aiming to study at vocational colleges was approved. 

The situation has been exacerbated by what appears to be the random or ad hoc implementation of new, undisclosed rules. 

“There are clearly new rules, but no one will tell us what they are... We are just left to read the entrails,” Ian Pratt, owner of Lexis Education, has told the AFR. 

The shift in visa approval rates reportedly followed the Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil’s announcement of a migration policy review aimed at reducing annual net migration and addressing exploitation within the system. 

Despite these challenges, O’Neil emphasised the importance of international education to the economy, committing to regulatory improvements for a sustainable sector growth.

A disparity in visa approval rates across nationalities has raised concerns, with significantly lower approval rates for students from certain countries. 

For instance, approval rates for Colombian students plummeted to 25.6 per cent from 93 per cent the previous year. 

In contrast, Brazilian and Chilean students enjoyed high approval rates of 97 per cent and 92 per cent, respectively.

More details are accessible here.