The Labor government of Australia has announced that it will scrap a rule that automatically fails a potential international student if they express intention to settle down in Australia. This change is part of a larger migration system reform plan that includes relaxed restrictions on international students, making it easier for them to come and settle down permanently.
Under the current system, an applicant needs to demonstrate a strong incentive to return home after completing their studies, such as evidence of financial, family, or social ties. However, the new Genuine Student Test (GST) aims to replace this requirement and eliminate visa applicants who want to come to the country to work instead of studying.
The GST is intended to be a comprehensive assessment that examines the eligibility and true intention of a person applying for an Australian student visa. It is expected to come into effect in early 2024. Former Deputy Secretary of the then-Immigration Department, Abul Rizvi, criticized the current rules and questioned why the Home Affairs Department would enforce them when Australia already provides pathways for international students to gain permanent residency.
Additionally, the government will apply greater scrutiny to student visa applications from high-risk providers and strengthen requirements for international education providers. According to Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil, migration was expected to drop to about 250,000 by 2025 with the new strategy, which was less than half of the record level of 518,000 in 2023. However, Shadow Immigration Minister Dan Tehan expressed doubts about the government’s ability to curb migration, stating that Labor always makes a mess out of immigration.