Australian Politics

Policy changes introduced and maintained under Abbott's leadership [PM from Sep 2013 to Sep 2015] played a central role in driving that growth. The rate of growth in overseas student numbers from 2013 to 2019 is extraordinary (an increase of over 200,000 in just six years). These understandably fell during COVID and then increased even more rapidly after COVID due to further measures to accelerate the return of students implemented by the Morrison Government. These measures included unrestricted student visa work rights, fee-free applications, and a covid visa, which attracted huge numbers of students to switch to this cheap visa with unrestricted work rights and no requirement to study. The new Albanese Government was slow to tighten these policies.