International students drive the Australian economy
A large proportion of voters in competitive electorates believe international students are important to the country's economy, according to a recent survey commissioned by Universities Australia, which sheds insight into the public's view of international students.
More than two-thirds of voters (about 68%) acknowledge the essential role that international students play in bridging the country's skill gaps, and 61% see them as key drivers of economic progress.
The results are based on the opinions of 1,508 people who live in battleground electorates that have large international student populations or huge university campuses.
Most people (about 75% of people polled) think that international students who remain in Australia after graduation help the economy and the workforce. Eleven constituencies in four Australian states (New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, and Western Australia) were polled between June 27 and July 8.
According to Universities Australia, in their publication of the results, “Last year, international students accounted for more than half of Australia’s GDP growth.”
“The sector is worth almost AUD$50 billion to our economy and supports around 250,000 jobs. Universities also use the income generated by international student fees to reinvest in teaching, campus infrastructure, and research in the face of declining government funding.”
A few weeks ago, the lower house of parliament enacted a bill to limit the number of overseas students; the Education Services for Overseas Students Amendment (Quality and Integrity) Bill 2024 is currently being considered by the Senate.
A cap on foreign enrolments, according to the governing board, "puts this all at risk" and will exacerbate the sector's current visa processing problems.
The implementation of ministerial instruction 107, which prioritises students submitting to low-risk institutions and expedites their visa processing, is largely to blame for a 23% decline in visas granted in the past year, according to Universities Australia.
Minister of Education Jason Clare admitted this past week at the AFR higher education summit that the order, which went into force in December 2023, has impacted visa processing and led to an increase in visa cancellations.
Clare has hinted that incoming caps will replace Ministerial Direction 107. Australia's education minister will finally provide the much-anticipated details about the cap on overseas student enrolments next week.
According to Universities Australia, imposing caps may have a devastating impact on the economy, causing a loss of nearly 14,000 jobs in the university sector alone. This would have a multiplicative effect on smaller enterprises that depend on international students.
The polls revealed a split in voter sentiment regarding the potential impact of the cap on sectoral employment. Most voters believe the cap will negatively impact university research, innovation, and the quality of education Australian students receive.
52% of voters generally view international students as beneficial for the country, with those intending to vote Green or Labour expressing the strongest support for international students, followed by those voting for the Coalition.
About half of the people who planned to vote for different politicians or parties had a positive impression of overseas students.
In addition, among the most important results, 51% of respondents think that immigration caps would help make homes more affordable.