Australia plans A$2,000 student visa fee hike amid election promise

Australia's ruling Labor Party has announced plans to raise international student visa fees from A$1,600 to A$2,000 if re-elected, aiming to generate A$760 million over four years and address rising immigration and housing costs. The opposition has proposed even steeper increases, with a minimum fee of A$2,500 and up to A$5,000 for students applying to the elite Group of Eight universities. Both parties have also suggested introducing caps on new international student commencements in 2025—Labor at 270,000 and the opposition at 240,000—to manage the flow of incoming students. These measures come after a significant fee hike last year and additional policy changes tightening language requirements and allowing for the suspension of non-compliant education providers. Despite Australia's popularity among overseas students, its visa fees are already much higher than those in the U.S. and Canada, which charge around $185 and C$150 ($108) respectively. International students remain a vital revenue source for Australian universities but are increasingly cited as a factor in the nation's surging housing demand.