Australia Raises Visa Standards – Lodgments Down, Scrutiny Up
📉 Decline in Visa Applications
- In 2024–25, student visa lodgments fell to about 427,000, compared to nearly 600,000 the previous year.
- The biggest drops were in VET (Vocational Education and Training) and ELICOS (English language courses), while higher education saw some modest growth above pre-pandemic levels.
- Refusal rates remain around 18%, which is slightly better than last year.
🌍 Top Source Countries
- China, India, and Nepal remain the top three student source countries.
- Pakistan has dropped out of the top 10, replaced by Bangladesh.
🕒 Processing Times
- Offshore applications are usually processed within 25 days.
- Onshore applications (lodged inside Australia) are still slow, with a 153-day median processing time, but the backlog has been reduced from 100,000 to 67,000 pending cases.
💰 Policy Changes Impacting Students
- Visa Fees Increased – Application charges rose to AUD $2,000 in July 2025, making it harder for students in cheaper/shorter programs like VET and ELICOS.
- National Planning Levels – Australia has set a cap of 295,000 new commencements for 2025–26 (a 9.3% increase from last year).
- Priority Processing – Under Ministerial Direction 111:
- “Priority one” providers (those under 80% of their quota) get 1–4 week processing.
- Others may face 5–8 weeks processing.
🔑 Genuine Student (GS) Requirement
- The old Genuine Temporary Entrant (GTE) test has been replaced by the Genuine Student (GS) requirement.
- GS is now the main reason for refusals.
- To succeed, students must prove that study is their main purpose in Australia.
- Common refusal reasons:
- Generic or weak statements of purpose
- Poor academic progression (e.g., downgrading to a lower-level course)
- Insufficient financial evidence
- Implausible or fraudulent documents
📌 Key Message from Authorities
- Decision-ready applications are crucial.
- Students need strong GS statements (clear academic/professional goals linked to study) and solid financial proof.
- Education agents and providers must ensure applications are genuine, or the system’s integrity could be undermined.
👉In short: Australia is making its student visa process stricter to filter out non-genuine applicants. Visa fees are higher, rules are tighter, and the new Genuine Student (GS) test is now the biggest factor in approvals or refusals. Students must prepare strong, evidence-based applications to succeed.
📩Contact Us for Guidance on Student Visa Applications
Email: info@wacconsultants.com
📞WhatsApp: +92 320 9422666