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 visas for international students.

Restrictive policies on international students in the UK, Australia and Canada are affecting the demand for study among prospective international students, according to the "Voice of International Students" study, conducted by IDP in January in 67 countries, with 2,500 participants.

Almost half of respondents (49%) said they would reconsider or were unsure about studying in the UK. The number of people hesitant about going to Australia and Canada was slightly lower, at 47% and 43% respectively.

International students at the 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 (a model linking public and private schools) will not be eligible to apply for a post-graduation work permit.

Last month, the Australian Department of Education announced that it would reduce the length of stay for international students in many fields to just 2-4 years, instead of 4-6 years as before. Meanwhile, the UK Home Office said late last year that it would review the Graduate Route work visa program for international students.

These policies aim to control immigration flows amid a sharp increase in the number of international students coming to the three countries after the Covid-19 pandemic. For Canada and Australia, tightening visas is also to ensure the quality of education.

Simon Emmett, CEO of IDP Connect, said the survey results showed that students were clearly aware of the impact of these policies. They always wanted certainty when making decisions to study abroad, so the changes in regulations in the UK, Canada and Australia made them apprehensive.

A study by online education platform Studyportals released last month found that demand for studying abroad in Canada and the UK will decline by 2023, while the US will see a significant increase. Interest in Italy and the Netherlands is also rising. However, demand for the Netherlands may soon cool as universities there plan to reduce the number of international students and English-taught programs.

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

The UK, Australia and Canada are among the most popular study abroad destinations for international students, including Vietnamese. Australia and Canada are the most attractive because of their high demand for jobs and the time students can stay after graduation is longer than other countries.

As of October last year, there were more than 31,000 international students in Australia, the sixth largest international student population. In Canada, Vietnamese students ranked eighth with more than 17,000 by 2023. In the UK, the number was about 12,000 by 2020, according to the Ministry of Education and Training.

Dawn (According to ICEF Monitor )

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