As per the Australian government’s data, the total number of international students in Australia has already surpassed 700,000 in February 2024. This number has set an all-time high record in the country’s history.
According to data from the Home Affairs Department, Australia is currently home to 713,144 international students. The rising number of international students brings the total number of temporary entrants to 2.8 million. As compared to September 2023, there is an increase of 7.3 percent. The total number of international students in September was 664,178 in Australia.
The table below highlights the variation in enrolment of international students in the country during various years.
| Duration | No. of international students |
| December 2023 | 547,075 |
| September 2023 | 664,178 |
| June 2023 | 568,753 |
| March 2023 | 582,758 |
| December 2022 | 456,970 |
However, according to the data, international students recorded 315,949 back in December 2021. The number of international students enrolled has steadily increased over the years. As per the government, the number of international students for the January 2024 period totaled 567,505, which reflects an increase of 26 percent from the same period in 2023. Moreover, China continues to top the chart as the primary source of international students.
Despite the record number of international students enrolled at educational institutions in Australia, there was a dramatic shift in visa applications between December and February. At the same time, the approval rates have dropped to 82 percent, which represents a significant drop. Initially, the approval rates stood at 90 percent or higher.
The former deputy secretary of the immigration department, Abul Rizvi, revealed that the government might have to reduce the numbers. Considering the rise in the number of international students, Australia has toughened visa requirements for low-skilled workers and international students in an effort to improve its immigration system. The English language standards for student visas have been raised from IELTS 5.5 to 6.0 and for graduate visas from IELTS 6.0 to 6.5 under the new regulations, which went into effect on March 23.
