Australia’s plan to cap the number of new international students is facing defeat after opposition parties announced their intention to vote against the proposed legislation, despite previously advocating for migration cuts, Bloomberg reports.
The government’s plan, slated for debate in the final parliamentary sitting period before the year’s end, would limit new international student commencements to 270,000 in 2025. This move comes as the Labor government grapples with a surge in immigration and a severe housing crisis ahead of the next federal election, expected by May.
However, the center-right Liberal-National coalition has rejected the bill. Shadow Education Minister Sarah Henderson criticized the legislation as “chaotic and confusing,” claiming it fails to address the underlying issues she blames the government for creating. While Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has previously called for limiting net international migration, including students, to 160,000, he hasn’t detailed a specific implementation plan.
Education Minister Jason Clare expressed his disappointment, accusing the opposition of hypocrisy. “You can’t talk tough on immigration and then vote against putting a limit on the number of people that come to this country every year,” he stated in parliament on Monday.
The proposed cap would essentially return the number of new international students in higher education and vocational training to pre-pandemic levels. However, Universities Australia CEO Luke Sheehy criticized the opposition’s stance, labeling it a “phony war” that unfairly blames international students for the migration and housing challenges. He urged both sides of politics to invest in Australia’s university sector, which heavily relies on international student revenue.
