IRISH students heading to Australia will face forking out even more cash for a visa after the fee doubled. The new crackdown also saw the government close any loopholes that allowed students to extend their stay in the country. The move comes as the Australian government try to crack down on record high migration figures, which are putting a strain on the Australian housing market .
The fee for an international student visa will rise from A$710 to A$1,600. This equates to a rise from €440 to €661. On top of the rise in cost, those on a Temporary Graduate, Visitor and Maritime crew visa holders can not apply for a student Visa while still in Australia.
This is named the Restricting onshore visa hopping to the Student visa program on the Australian Home Affairs website and kicks in from today. Speaking on the changes Australia's Home Affairs Minister Clare O'Neil said the move will restore "integrity" in their education system. She said: "When we came to government we inherited a migration system that was broken and dysfunctional, and an international education system which was being compromised by rorts and exploitation.
"The changes coming into force today will help restore integrity to our international education system, and create a migration system which is fairer, smaller and better able to deliver for Australia." In a joint statement, the government also outlined how the rise reflects rising education costs in the country. It states: "This increase reflects the incre.
