The International Education Association of Australia, the Independent Tertiary Education Council Australia and English Australia have written to the Prime Minister and all government ministers on the Council for International Education calling for “an urgent reduction” to the current fee.
Australia’s visa application charge (VAC) increased by 125 per cent to $1,600 in July 2024 and was then raised further to $2,000 from July this year.
The peak bodies are calling for a 50 per cent reduction in the visa application charge for independent ELICOS stays and non-award courses less than 52 weeks in duration.
“Australia now has the highest student visa charges in the world. We believe a 50 per cent reduction for these cohorts is both fair and necessary,” the associations said.
The peak bodies said that the fee is inequitable for short-stay students compared with a multi-year qualification.
The 181 per cent increase since the beginning of last year has “eroded Australia’s competitive edge, with some long-standing schools already closing”, they highlighted.
They added that competitor destinations actively encourage shorter-stay programmes and that “Australia has long benefitted from the soft power and cultural exchange generated by short-term study abroad programmes”.
Such students are not considered part of Australia’s Net Overseas Migration figures, the associations said in the letter, which is signed by: Ian Aird, CEO of English Australia; Felix Pirie, CEO of ITECA; and Phil Honeywood, CEO of IEAA.
“While our sector has a clear preference for the Government reducing the VAC for these cohorts without offsetting measures, we recognise that current arrangements have been factored into the Budget outlook. We are therefore prepared to work with the Government to identify measures that will deliver a progressive solution without direct harm to the economy, to business and to Australia’s reputation,” they added.
Ian Aird , CEO of English Australia , told StudyTravel Magazine, “The disproportionate cost of the student visa application charge in Australia for short-term, non-award students is a very serious matter and is having a dramatic, negative impact on the ELICOS sector and on the Non-Award sector including Study Abroad programs and school exchange.”
He added, “I don’t think it’s reasonable for any student, but in the context of a four-year stay and a typical $80,000 university degree tuition fee, it’s a two per cent addition. Meanwhile, it represents a 40 per cent cost addition to a typical ELICOS enrolment which costs around $5,000.”
ELICOS sector stakeholders talked to StudyTravel Magazine earlier this year about the impact of the visa application charge as well as other government policies and the threat of further insolvencies and job losses, following the closure of institutions including Perth International College of English and the IH Sydney Training Services Ltd group.
“The time for polite conversation about reducing this extortionate world worst visa charge is over,” Phil Honeywood, CEO of IEAA told The Koala News.
“The Government has the means to reduce this charge and IEAA is pleased that English Australia and ITECA have joined with us to keep pressing for action sooner rather than just kicking the proverbial can down the road with more discussion papers.”
See here to access the full text of the letter sent by IEAA, ITECA and EA.