Student organisations like the National Union of Students (NUS) have united with the NTEU and Universities to oppose the announced 270,000 cap on international students the government announced this week.
The cap impacts both higher education and vocational education providers and is the latest of many policy proposals aimed at reducing the number of international students in Australia. Around 145,000 of the cap is reserved for public universities.
The government has also doubled visa fees, increased English testing requirements, and implemented a ‘genuine’ student test among other new regulations.
Postgraduate research students, students on exchange, and students from the Pacific will not be counted. The cap will only apply to new students commencing in 2025 with the rule extending to all students in 2026.
NUS National President Ngaire Bogemann called the policy “a slammed door in the face of hundreds of prospective students [who] are an important part of our diverse campus communities.”
The NUS is calling on the government to reverse the cap, arguing that the policy sends the message that international students are no longer welcome in Australia.
“Student choice drives demand — the reality is that if international students can’t get the education they want in Australia, they will go somewhere else,” Bogemann said.
University of Sydney SRC President Harrison Brennan has previously called the policy “racist” and condemned any attempt to restrict the number of students entering Australia. Previously, the SRC played a central role in the campaign to expand transport concessions to international students.
International students have told Honi across the year that they have felt increasing pressure from the combination of a rising cost of living and the new government regulations.
The SRC has yet to debate a motion on the policy with the next opportunity being the monthly council meeting this week.
There is also growing concern that the cap will lead to cost-cutting across Australian universities and mass layoffs. Some estimates have argued the policy would cause up to 14,000 jobs.
An NTEU petition calling on the federal government to guarantee all university jobs has been signed by thousands of staff.
NTEU National President Dr Alison Barnes said “Job cuts are a red line for the NTEU.”
“We know too many Vice-chancellors’ instinctive reaction to any policy change is cutting the staff which deliver the world-class teaching and research that is the critical selling point for international students.
“The federal government must ensure university bosses don’t use these changes as an excuse to cut jobs from an already stretched workforce,” she said.
NUS International Officer Reynal Adrien agreed, “It’s no secret that universities strongly depend on finances brought in by international students.”
He warned that “a centrally controlled, unnecessary capping of international students will disturb the entire higher education system in Australia, in the form of job cuts for staff and an overall reduction in education quality for all students.”
Government funding was 80% of university revenue in 1989 but has fallen considerably to below 33% today. International student fees have largely made up the difference.
Prestigious universities with the highest proportion of international students like the University of Sydney, ANU, UNSW, and the University of Melbourne are likely to be hardest hit.
Group of Eight Chief Executive Vicki Thomson said the cap “has confused the issues even further and increased the distrust of the sector in its capability to manage this vital $48 billion export industry.”
USyd Vice Chancellor Mark Scott has publicly condemned the caps, arguing they punish Universities that have successfully attracted international students.
The legislation is yet to pass the Senate but the policy has in principle support from the Opposition who are also taking policies to the next election that slash migration.
A USyd spokesperson told Honi that they “will now carefully work through the details to assess the likely impact on our core operations of education and research, and our community.”
All universities have been given a formula to calculate their cap and Honi understands that this process could take weeks. Some universities have already sent out 2025 offers.
A Senate inquiry into the policy which will suggest changes to the proposed legislation is due to table its report on September 6.
