Australia Dramatically Increases Student Visa Fees, Raising Concerns for Vietnamese Students

Australia has significantly increased its student visa fees, with the application cost for the subclass 500 student visa rising from AUD 2,000 to AUD 2,500 (approximately VND 45 million) starting July 1. This marks a continued escalation, as fees have already risen from AUD 710 to AUD 1,600 in early 2024, and then to AUD 2,000 in July last year. For students from Southeast Asian countries, a slightly lower fee of AUD 2,050 will apply, regardless of their program of study. This rate also extends to students enrolled in ELICOS, short-term English language courses. The temporary graduate visa (subclass 485), which allows international bachelor's degree holders to stay and work for up to three years, has also seen a 25% increase in its application fee, from AUD 4,600 to AUD 5,750 (approximately VND 104 million). This comes just four months after the fee was doubled. Experts have voiced concerns about the impact of these hikes. Luke Sheehy, CEO of Universities Australia, stated that these measures follow a series of policies making it "difficult to attract" international students. Vicki Thomson, CEO of the Group of Eight, a coalition of leading research universities, described the move as "a direct blow to the competitiveness" of Australia. According to AFR, Australia's competitor nations in the international education market have significantly lower visa application fees. For instance, the UK charges GBP 558 (over VND 19 million), while New Zealand and Canada charge even less, at USD 105 (approximately VND 2.7 million) and USD 480 (approximately VND 12.6 million) respectively. "If talented students choose Canada, the UK, Europe, Singapore, or emerging destinations, Australia will lose the relationships, skills, and research connections they bring for decades to come," Thomson warned. International students currently form the largest group holding temporary visas in Australia, making them a target in the government's plan to reduce net migration to 225,000. Beyond visa fee increases, the government has implemented measures over the past two years such as reducing post-study work rights from 4-6 years to 2-3 years, raising English language proficiency requirements, and increasing financial evidence demands. Last year, nearly 850,000 international students arrived in Australia, including approximately 36,000 Vietnamese students.