Australia and Canada tighten visas, making international students afraid

Many people are considering plans to study abroad in the UK, Australia and Canada, after these countries tightened international student visas.

Restrictive international student policies in the UK, Australia and Canada are affecting the educational needs of prospective international students, according to the "Voice of International Students" study, conducted by IDP last month. 1 in 67 countries, with 2,500 participants.

Nearly half of respondents (49%) said they would rethink or were unsure about their plans to study abroad in the UK. The number of people hesitant about going to Australia and Canada is slightly lower, 47% and 43% respectively.

International students at Australian National University. Photo: ANU

According to the policy announced by the Canadian Immigration Department (IRCC) on January 22, the number of international students allowed to enter the country in 2024 will be 360,000, down 35% compared to the previous year. From September 1, international students in public-private programs (linkage model between public and private schools) will not be eligible to apply for a post-graduation work permit.

Last month, the Australian Ministry of Education announced a reduction in the stay time for international students in many occupations, to only 2-4 years, instead of 4-6 years as before. And the UK Home Office late last year said it would review post-graduation work visa programs for international students (Graduate Route).

These policies are intended to control the flow of immigrants in the context of a sharp increase in the number of international students coming to the three countries after the Covid-19 epidemic. For Canada and Australia, tightening visas is also to ensure the quality of education.

Simon Emmett, CEO of IDP Connect, said the survey results show that students are clearly aware of the effects of the above policies. They always want certainty when making decisions to study abroad, so changes in regulations in the UK, Canada and Australia make them hesitant.

A study by online education options platform Studyportals published last month showed that in 2023, demand for studying abroad in Canada and the UK will decrease, while the US will increase significantly. Interest in Italy and the Netherlands also increased. However, demand for the Netherlands may soon cool down as universities in this country plan to reduce the number of international students and programs taught in English.

Demand for studying abroad in Canada, UK, USA, Italy, Netherlands and Australia in the period 2019-2024. Screenshot: Studyportals

England, Australia, and Canada are among the most popular study abroad destinations for international students, including Vietnamese. Australia and Canada are most attractive because the job market has high demand and the time for students to stay after graduation is also longer than in other countries.

As of October last year, more than 31,000 international students were in Australia, the sixth largest in the international student community. In Canada, Vietnamese students rank 8th with more than 17,000 in 2023. In the UK, this number is about 12,000 in 2020, according to the Ministry of Education and Training.