- Opportunities for international education
Overview
6.1This chapter reports on issues related to international education in regional Australia, as well as commentary on the challenges facing the international education sector more broadly. This chapter supplements the evidence, findings and recommendations in the Committee’s Inquiry into Australia’s tourism and international education sectors, ‘Quality and Integrity – the Quest for Sustainable Growth: Interim Report into International Education’ (Interim Report), tabled in October 2023.
6.2The Committee heard from a range of government departments, peak bodies, higher education institutions and student representatives, tourism organisations and individuals across Australia about opportunities and challenges facing the international student sector during the inquiry. Many submitters and witnesses agreed on the importance of the regions with regards to international education and the interconnectedness between international education and tourism. This chapter reflects the further witness statements and submissions the Committee received after October 2023.
The regional perspective
6.3This section explores the evidence received about the importance of international students to regional Australia, particularly with regards to the benefits to regional labour markets and economies. The Committee heard that a more equal spread of students between metropolitan areas and the regions will deliver the benefits more broadly, and received suggestions for increased promotion of the regions and changes to visa, migration and admission settings to enable increased numbers of international students to choose to study in regional areas.
Regional labour markets
6.4The benefits of international students being located in regional areas was consistently raised in evidence put to the Committee. Evidence received in Darwin reinforced this point and reflected that regional placement has a reciprocal benefit for both international students seeking employment and regional labour markets with labour shortages.
6.5Professor Scott Bowman AO, Vice-Chancellor of Charles Darwin University (CDU), stressed that the Northern Territory is desperate for people in its labour market. He noted that one of the attractions for international students to the Northern Territory was that they were likely to get a job in their area of study due to demands for labour. Professor Bowman claimed that:
… if they come here and study IT, they will get a job working in IT. In fact, most of our IT graduates have got jobs at least six months before their course ends. If they come and do hospitality courses, they've probably got a job as they walk off the plane…
So really international education is absolutely fundamental to the Territory. And I say again, if it's fundamental to the Territory, it is to northern Australia and it is to Australia.
6.6The Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) emphasised that university campuses were a drawcard for some regional towns. A sample of policies from several councils that each hosted a major university campus found that a main focus of local governments seemed to be on the retention of university graduates within that local community, allowing them to retain skilled workers for the local workforce. This was noted as a top priority for these councils in light of ongoing skills shortages across regions.
6.7Ms Kareena Arthy, the Deputy Director-General at the Directorate of the Chief Minister, Treasury and Economic Development in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Government noted that the Canberra ‘business community are also very engaged with our international students because they're an important source of labour’.
6.8Mr Malcolm Wise, the Principal of the Australian Maritime College (AMC) at the University of Tasmania (UTAS), noted a few measures that would not only help AMC but also other regional universities to meet workforce demand. These measures included ‘targeted visa processing, prioritisation of courses and location of study.’ Mr Wise stated that modest adjustments to the current settings for international students would be of assistance in lifting the supply of a ‘trained and educated workforce, both domestic and international’.
6.9Professor Ian Anderson AO, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academic, UTAS submitted that UTAS was working with the Regional Australian Institute to develop a quota model, a managed market in the international student space. Mr Robert Wilson, Executive Director of Recruitment and Engagement at UTAS, explained that managed markets would enable universities to build a critical mass of international students from particular countries in regional locations. Currently, he argued, the settings for regional Australia and the migration policies make it difficult for universities like UTAS to attract students.
6.10Mr Wilson from UTAS further explained the idea of a more managed system and what it may mean to regions if they could have students trained in the regions with the aim of keeping them in the regions. Mr Wilson stated that an open and free market meant that students gravitated towards major cities and the current system did not deliver with regards to keeping students in the regions. A managed system, he argued, would take into account issues such as population, workforce needs and infrastructure. It was further noted that something to consider would be to align international and domestic entry requirements across universities, to ensure that requirements are equal and fair for both sets of students.
6.11Professor Anderson from UTAS emphasised the need to retain international students to build regional workforce, and to ensure students are ‘educated in Tasmania to meet local, regional needs and to understand the regional communities,’ as compared with trying to get international students who have studied in Sydney or Melbourne to move to a region after they graduate. He noted:
It's very hard to attract [international students] into regional economies once they [have lived in Sydney or Melbourne] because the reasons to stay are significant — there are jobs in Melbourne, they are understood in Melbourne and there are probably family connections in Melbourne.
6.12Professor Anderson also noted the responsibility of the university in ensuring that regional employers have the necessary tools and knowledge needed to provide international students with inclusive jobs.
Regional economies
6.13The Committee heard that international students are likely to have friends or family visit them during their study or in the event they choose to remain in Australia after they graduate. This presents another economic benefit to regional areas of attracting international students and graduates. The ALGA submitted that regional councils recognised that visiting friends and relatives (VFRs) are an important part of their visitor economies and that many specifically focus on the VFR market when formulating their economic plans. Ms Arthy noted that the ACT Government also has a strong focus on visiting friends and relatives.
6.14Professor Anderson from UTAS also emphasised the importance of international students to the economy, and the need for that benefit to be more equally shared between metropolitan and regional areas. He posited there has been a ‘two-speed system’ approach to international education between regional and metropolitan universities over the past decade that has impacted negatively on regional universities, which in turn impacts on regional economies and communities.
6.15Professor Anderson also stated that in 2020, five metropolitan universities received 50 per cent of the international student revenue, with a decline in the revenues for regional universities seen. It was concluded that with fewer international students coming to Tasmania, there would be an impact on regional economies as a result.
6.16The small size of the Northern Territory population was noted as a challenge to the operation and sustainability of operating a successful regional university. As such, regional universities offer distance education as a way of attracting students and increasing their numbers. Professor Bowman of CDU indicated that the university would not be a viable option without students from outside the Northern Territory, even as a dual university that provides vocational courses.
Choosing regional
6.17Along with a lack of employment opportunities, the Committee heard about other challenges to the international student market that may influence whether an international student chooses to study in an Australian regional or metropolitan location.
6.18Professor Anderson of UTAS identified ‘international policy changes in China which strongly incentivised Chinese students to go to the global top 100 universities’, which are primarily in metropolitan locations.
6.19Such changes to designated regional areas, as well as changes to visa processing settings, were also argued to further incentivise international students to choose metropolitan universities over a regional option. Mr Wilson of UTAS gave the example of Perth and the Gold Coast being designated as regional destinations in 2019. It was claimed that Hobart with its much smaller population is now in competition with Perth as a regional destination for international students.
6.20The Committee heard that a further challenge to recruiting international students to the regions was the necessity of
… building the critical mass of students in a regional area so that they can be connected to a community.
6.21Mr Wilson of UTAS asserted that international students were drawn to cities such as Melbourne and Sydney due to the large number of other international students in those areas, enabling them to find communities and support each other.
Intersection between international education and tourism
6.22Witnesses consistently highlighted the intersection between international education and tourism, how they complement one another and bring one another benefit.
6.23Ms Arthy from the ACT Government explained the intersection between international education and tourism, and the importance of both to the Canberra economy:
What we find, though, with international visitors is that they make up about one in 33 of all visitors to the ACT; however, the spend is significant. So one in every eight dollars spent in the ACT comes from an international visitor. When it comes to international students, they might only be six per cent of the total of international visitors that we have at the moment, but they represent 53 per cent of the spend that comes into the territory from the contribution international markets made to the territory.
6.24Ms Arthy went on to explain that the multiple levels of government, peak student networks and the universities work together to promote Canberra as a desirable destination for international students and tourists, with the ACT Government providing ‘all sorts of toolkits to help universities promote Canberra.’
6.25Visitor data in South Australia showed that India is the second largest international visitor market to the state, driven by international students and their VFRs. Ms Jane Johnston, CEO of StudyAdelaide emphasised that:
… [a] strong international tourism sector is underpinned by a thriving international education sector.
6.26Evidence received in Adelaide pointed to a proactive approach to getting international students to explore beyond the capital city and into the regions. One example given of students engaging more deeply in tourism was a program run by the University of Adelaide, Discover Adelaide, which provided students with the opportunity to take part in activities across the state, spending time in different regions and attending festivals.
6.27Mr Matt Schultz, Director, International Recruitment, Flinders University spoke of getting students into the regions via an immersion program run for international students during orientation week, as well as opportunities for students to visit other parts of the state throughout their study.
6.28The Committee received evidence of StudyAdelaide’s collaboration with the tourism industry in South Australia. It provided an example of how the international education sector and international tourism work together. By taking international students on regional careers tours, students are exposed to regional South Australia and can then share these experiences with family and friends back home. This then feeds into the VFR market with students promoting regional destinations based on their experiences.
6.29In its evidence TAFE SA noted that international students can take part in a Bachelor’s Degree that focuses on hospitality and international tourism. The program is delivered within the Barossa Valley and Adelaide regions, with students contributing to the tourism workforce. This program allows students to engage with both tourism activities and work with various providers, including in a regional setting.
6.30Her Excellency Dr Chanborey Cheunboran, the Ambassador of Cambodia to Australia, noted in her evidence the intersectionality between tourism and education exchanges. Ambassador Cheunboran emphasised these are an important part of global connectivity and in fact serve as a link between South-East Asia and Australia. Ambassador Cheunboran also emphasised that the Cambodian community in Australia, around 75,000 to 80,000 people, is one of the main drivers behind the increase of tourists to Australia and that many who visit Australia also explore education opportunities here for loved ones.
6.31Her Excellency Mrs Maria Hellen de la Vega, the Ambassador of the Philippines to Australia, enforced the need for bodies such as StudyAdelaide, Study NT and Study Melbourne to market regional Australia to international students. Ambassador de la Vega stated this would resonate with students from rural and regional areas of the Philippines as many Filipino students were from non-metropolitan areas. It was observed that for many students in the Philippines, the vision of Australia is Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide, and that it was important to promote studying and working in regional areas of Australia.
Alumni, scholarships and regional collaboration
6.32Her Excellency Ms Arjaree Sriratanaban, the Ambassador of Thailand to Australia, noted that Australia had surpassed the US and the UK as the destination of choice for Thai students. As of 2022, Thai students represented the sixth largest group of international students in Australia. Ambassador Sriratanaban articulated that greater collaboration between Australian and Thai higher education institutions would be a means of promoting education exchanges between the countries, with greater collaboration possibly leading to more student exchanges.
6.33Ambassador Sriratanaban also emphasised to the Committee the benefit of using existing mechanisms such as the joint working group between the Thai Ministry of Education and the Australian Department of Education, as a way to further promote cooperation.
6.34Flinders University told the Committee that Australia’s continued provision of scholarships within the Asia-Pacific region is important to:
… safeguard Australia’s ties with countries where their strategic interest remain strong in a geopolitically challenging environment.
6.35The work of the university’s alumni network is also noted as facilitating mentorship and collaboration opportunities. It was stated that:
The connections built on the Australian experience through overseas alumni significantly contributes to the people to people links that are so important for leveraging opportunities in the ASEAN [Association of Southeast Asian Nations] and Pacific regions.
6.36His Excellency Mr Anil Kumar Nayar, the High Commissioner of Singapore to Australia, emphasised the importance of better using Australian alumni of higher education institutions as a resource for influence in their home countries. High Commissioner Nayar remarked that over time more than 200,000 Singaporean students have studied in Australia and now work in various sectors in Singapore. He observed that the alumni would be a valuable resource for domestic Singaporean students with regards to hearing about their experiences. It was asserted that this method of communicating to prospective students would outmatch ‘any slick PR campaign’.
6.37Chapter 2 of the Interim Report reported on the importance of alumni influence. The Committee recommended that the government work with the education sector to create a more systematic approach to tracking and supporting alumni networks, with a focus on priority countries and strengthening Australia’s international research networks and partnerships.
6.38Mr Wise of UTAS noted the value of education in connecting Australia with the Pacific. The connections built through Pacific Islander students studying in Australia could be powerful, particularly from an economic perspective. He emphasised that education could be used to support Australia’s current desire to ‘strengthen our position and relationship with our pacific neighbours’.
The student experience
6.39Evidence received during the inquiry noted that the student experience begins before international students arrive in Australia, with recruitment and visa processing acknowledged as part of the experience. Further, the wellbeing of students, their experiences while in Australia, opportunities presented to them while studying, and post study options all informed student experiences.
6.40The Committee heard that the international education sector is not seen as perfect and various factors including government policy settings, university fees, visa settings, airfares, and working rights for students are noted as contributors affecting Australia’s competitiveness internationally. Dr Jessica Gallagher, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of External Engagement at the University of Adelaide gave evidence that the sector requires:
… innovative ideas, effective measures and positive experiences to ensure it continues to deliver its full potential for the sector, the students who choose to study here and the country more broadly.
Safety and wellbeing
6.41Safeguarding the rights and welfare of international students while they are in Australia was repeatedly raised as a concern throughout the inquiry. Evidence given to the Committee emphasised that a range of further measures are necessary to implement, including affordable and appropriate housing, cultural integration programs, avenues for employment, and support systems such as mental health services to attract and retain students in Australia.
6.42Australia’s reputation as a relatively safe destination for international students was noted throughout the inquiry. His Excellency Dr Siswo Pramono, the Ambassador of Indonesia to Australia, advised the Committee that Australia’s reputation as a safe place is one factor why overseas students choose to study in Australia.
6.43Ms Arthy from ACT Government explained to the Committee that ‘what sets Canberra apart from most other cities is that we have a reputation for being safe.’ She elaborated that:
While there are isolated incidents, by and large we are considered a safe destination. We're also considered a fairly inclusive destination, so we don't get reports of the challenges that are faced in other cities that you would see with students. We have a program called Study Canberra, where one of our very first actions is to welcome everyone into Canberra as part of Enlighten, where we make it very clear that we are really an engaged, welcoming city.
6.44The Committee also heard how the ACT Government works with the universities to support the wellbeing of new international students. Mrs Kate Starick, Executive Group Manager, Policy and Strategy, Chief Minister, Treasury and Economic Development, ACT Government stated:
We also work closely with the universities to provide kits to international students when they arrive—like a welcoming kit on how to access different services in the ACT, information about our parks and access to nature, different access to CALD community supports—and we distribute those through the universities.
6.45The evidence received from international students during the inquiry was overwhelmingly positive. However, there were some negative aspects to student experiences that were covered in the Interim Report.
6.46Racism and crime were again raised as issues faced by students in evidence received following the publication of the Interim Report. Ms Ya Wen Chang, an international student from the AMC at UTAS, noted incidences of racist abuse in the streets and supermarket, which she stated were traumatising. She also gave the example of students from Malaysia who returned home after their studies because of racism they experienced in Australia.
6.47The issue of crime and safety for international students was raised in evidence received in Darwin. Professor Bowman of CDU detailed an incident that made national news of an international student from Bangladesh who was fatally attacked in his bed. He emphasised that:
… victim of crime thing is one thing that we are dealing with all the time. I think at the moment we're pretty okay on it, but [it] is a difficult issue. But the feedback in general is very good.
6.48Ms Arthy from the ACT Government explained that the universities in Canberra work together in how they manage international student wellbeing and experience. She outlined that:
We don't have a strategy for ANU, for UC or for UNSW; they all come together when it comes to working with international students and providing great experiences. It's a difficult question to answer in terms of whose responsibility is what because we work together to make sure that whatever one happens with students is a good one.
Accommodation and the cost of living
6.49The Committee received evidence highlighting student accommodation as a major challenge for students and education providers. The need for purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) was examined and reported on in the Interim Report, with the Committee recommending the urgent need for the government to encourage expansion of the PBSA sector.
6.50Evidence received since the publication of the Interim Report highlighted that the scale of the challenges around student accommodation varies between states and territories. Ms Johnston of StudyAdelaide noted that South Australia did not have the same accommodation pressures that were present in other states, and that there was still some capacity in the system. It was acknowledged that students are finding that they need to pay more for their accommodation, or they need to be further out from the city.
6.51Ms Johnston of StudyAdelaide articulated that they offer a free student accommodation advisory service, which provides information to parents, students and education networks about costs of accommodation. The service allows students to look at various accommodation options to suit their budget and provides advice on their rights, and the pros and cons of the different options. Ms Johnston emphasised that in South Australia, there were more PBSAs coming out of the pandemic than prior to it, and that StudyAdelaide was actively seeking to attract more of that type of accommodation.
6.52Flinders University submitted that due to high demand and price structures, PBSAs may not always meet demand and that students were finding the private rental market increasingly difficult to access. Students, both international and domestic, reported price to be the main barrier to accessing accommodation.
6.53As in Adelaide, evidence from Darwin claimed that the accommodation challenge was less of a problem than in other states. CDU submitted that while there was a shortage of housing in the Northern Territory, there were still beds available and opportunities for more. Professor Bowman of CDU highlighted the StudyStays program used by the university to explore accommodation vacancies in the Northern Territory.
6.54Flinders University also stated that to support its new city campus, the university had formed a partnership with a purpose-built student accommodation provider, The Switch, to offer student accommodation options. Mr Schultz of Flinders University remarked that maintaining accommodation in the capital as well as sourcing regional accommodation was a challenge for students looking to do placements in regional areas.
6.55Ms Arthy from the ACT Government advised that as Canberra is a university town, international student accommodation is a focus for the universities and is funded by multiple sources, meaning there is potentially less pressure on the housing market. For example, Ms Arthy noted that the ANU is continually investing in ‘high quality accommodation’, including investment from Singapore.
6.56The cost of living issue was a common thread throughout the evidence on how international students make a decision about where to study. Ambassador Sriratanaban agreed that cost of living was a consideration for Thai students in whether they choose Australia, and that affordable housing was an issue raised by students, especially those not offered accommodation by their places of study. She emphasised that this was an area requiring innovative methods and support across different levels of government and places of higher education.
6.57Homestay programs is another accommodation option accessed by international students. However, the Committee was told that the pandemic had affected its availability in multiple ways. Ms Johnston of StudyAdelaide submitted that during the pandemic while students were unable to return to their home countries, many families providing homestay accommodation were heavily involved in the program without a break. Since then, some of those families have stepped away from the homestay program for respite but there are efforts to re-engage them with the program.
6.58The Committee was also informed that coming out of the pandemic, many homes are being utilised differently than in the pre-pandemic period, affecting the availability of rooms for homestay. For example, spare rooms are now being used as home offices. This evidence compliments the evidence on the impact of the pandemic on homestay programs that was previously reported on in the Interim Report.
Employability and work initiatives
6.59The availability and quality of internships, work placements and employment options for international students have been recurring themes throughout the inquiry. Chapter 3 of the Interim Report explored in-depth the issues raised in relation to international students accessing work in Australia post-degree, as well as issues around work integrated learning. The Committee also made a recommendation for the government to create a national work-integrated framework with oversight of work-integrated learning placements.
6.60The University of Adelaide spoke of its partnership with Deloitte in providing opportunities for both domestic and international students after graduation. Dr Gallagher of the University of Adelaide emphasised that Deloitte viewed the partnership as a talent attraction initiative for the Asia-Pacific region as a whole and not just Australia or South Australia.
6.61Professor Robyn Aitken, Dean of the Rural and Remote Health College of Medicine and Public Health at Flinders University, noted international students in medical programs do not have the same opportunities as domestic students in terms of support and placements. She argued that if the same conditions were offered to international students, it would provide:
… a pipeline of Australian educated students to add to our local students for the Northern Territory workforce.
6.62Mr Schultz of Flinders University noted that they were a large provider of tertiary health courses but constrained by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) on the number of international students they can enrol. Mr Schultz asserted that Flinders University would be able to enrol students in its nursing program four times over, with demand not being the issue. The problem, he argued, was linked to accreditation issues, that is, nursing students are required to do placements as part of their course for accreditation and they couldn’t necessarily be guaranteed one.
6.63StudyAdelaide highlighted to the Committee its regional career tours as a way of getting international students out of the city and into the regions, connecting them with regional employers. Ms Johnston of StudyAdelaide stated that the tours aimed to align the areas of study to the areas of skill needed in that particular region. The initiative involves working with the students before they go into the regions and also involves working with employers in those communities in an effort to explain the visa conditions of students and how they can be employed. Ms Johnston noted that:
… students have reported at the beginning they were 34 per cent interested in a regional opportunity. Having done the tours, that sits at 92 per cent.
6.64Ms Johnson also outlined the Job Shop platform, hosted by StudyAdelaide, which is aimed at connecting students to South Australian employers. She stated that there were various categories of organisations listed including 11 tourism and hospitality businesses.
6.65Mrs Starick of the ACT Government advised that in supporting international students to connect with local businesses:
There are programs we're doing with the universities on work integrated learning, to connect placements for international students into local companies—so working with local businesses around how to provide that support and an environment for international students to do their study and work related placements as well.
6.66Ms Chang, a logistics student at the AMC at UTAS, noted that as she transitions from study, finding employment is a barrier, despite there being demand in the logistics and supply chain industry. It was stated that opportunities were not available to her because she was neither an Australian citizen nor a permanent resident. She stressed that:
… many job postings implicitly discourage applications from international students due to the temporary nature of our potential contribution, which is the two-year work limitation of the graduate visa.
6.67Mr Shrenik Bhalla, an international student at the AMC at UTAS, told the Committee of the ongoing challenges he faces around continued work rights in Australia when attempting to secure a graduate role, despite having completed internships related to his area of study. He expressed that employers have reservations about training someone who may not remain in the country long term.
6.68Working rights was a theme throughout the inquiry and identified by international students as a barrier to them finding employment after completing their degrees. Ms Chang also noted that sometimes companies were not welcoming of international students from other countries, which could discourage potential students from choosing Australia as a place to study.
6.69In its Interim Report, the Committee recommended the Australian Government engage with both the international education sector and industry to develop targeted campaigns to educate employers on the opportunities to hire international student graduates in sectors with ‘high skilled job vacancies’.
Visas
6.70A ‘one-size-fits-all’ Australian Government approach to migration and international students that does not take account of institution or study location was highlighted as a key challenge faced by regional universities. Professor Bowman of CDU argued that the relatively small size of the international student population in Darwin compared to other states is adversely affected by this approach.
6.71The Department of Tourism, Industry and Trade for the Northern Territory Government argued that the Australian Government should consider the relative size of markets for international students. It argued that a one-size-fits-all approach was most likely not appropriate for a small market like the Northern Territory when making decisions about international student numbers. Ms Valerie Smith, Executive Director of Industry Development for the Northern Territory Government argued that:
The number of international students we have in the Northern Territory is less than one per cent of the number that's in Australia overall. You could argue that whatever happens here has no material impact on Australia's migration outcomes, unfortunately, from a national perspective, but changes made at the national level can have a really big impact on a small destination like us.
6.72Professor Bowman further noted that previously the university was achieving 98 per cent acceptance on visas, but due to vetting procedures in 2023, this number had dropped to 50 per cent. Thus the university’s risk ranking was stated as being in danger as it was not getting the number of students anticipated. It was also asserted that as the smallest university in Australia, ‘the one -size-fits-all policy to reduce migration is having a devastating effect on the Northern Territory’s university’.
6.73On the issue of visas, Dr Gallagher noted that the University of Adelaide was also finding delays with visa assessments a challenge, which has led to genuine students not being able to begin their studies. She emphasised that the perceived message that Australia was not welcoming or accessible was going out to the international market.
6.74Mr Shultz of Flinders University raised concerns to the Committee about the current visa settings and argued that while Austrade is doing a good job of promoting Australia as a study destination, the current visa outcomes do not always support these efforts. Flinders University, in its written submission, submitted that a migration policy that creates a welcoming environment for international students is key and involves streamlining visa processes and providing post-study work opportunities. With this in mind, Flinders University advised that the specific needs of states and territories as well as priority industries:
… need to be considered and accounted for within federal government policy settings for the broader sector.
6.75UTAS’ witnesses also stated that the visa processing times for some of their markets had been impacted by slower processing times and lower approval rates. It was noted that large universities with greater revenue had greater processing abilities, with staff located in target countries. UTAS proposed a centralised model for the processing of genuine students and the interview process, so that ‘40 universities aren’t interviewing the same student’. Mr Wilson further explained that there would be challenges with this model but that:
It's a very inefficient use of time for all universities to be interviewing the same student, to try to understand if they're genuine and should be coming to Australia. It's not a good use of money for anyone.
Committee Comment
6.76The Committee’s Interim Report, released in October 2023, contained 29 recommendations for the international education sector based on the evidence received at that point. Since then, the Committee has received further evidence that reinforces the issues reported on in the Interim Report, and the recommendations it made.
6.77The Committee encourages the Australian Government to pursue the implementation of those recommendations, with a particular view to supporting universities in regional areas. The Committee notes the Australian Government has yet to respond to the recommendations in the October 2023 Interim Report, as it is required to do within three months of tabling, and urges the Government to immediately table its response in Parliament.
6.78Since the Interim Report was released, the Australian Government has announced changes in the policy for international education, which will take time to be fully developed and implemented, and to see measurable results. The Committee continues to encourage the Australian Government to proactively engage with education institutions, industry, peak organisations, and all levels of government in the refinement and implementation of these measures to ensure the settings and policy for the international education sector are beneficial for both international students and for Australia.
6.79The Committee notes the concerns from the higher education sector that visa settings are impacting their ability to recruit international students. The Committee believes that concerns expressed by smaller universities of the impact on their risk ratings, through a one-size-fits-all approach, needs to be taken into serious consideration. A diversified international student sector, with students recruited from various markets, is important in creating a healthy and sustainable international student sector in Australia.
6.80The Committee is of the view that while the Australian Government works to reform the international student sector, it should avoid a one-size-fits-all policy that may undermine regional and smaller universities and inadvertently favour larger, metropolitan universities. This action may lead to some regional communities with universities experiencing negative economic impacts, including workforce shortages. The economic impact could extend from a potential reduction in international student numbers, to a drop in economic activity due to loss of visiting friends and relatives.
6.81The Committee acknowledges that international students who seek to work in Australia and contribute to Australian society continue to face difficulties in securing appropriate accommodation and post-study opportunities.
6.82The Committee urges the Australian Government to develop and implement policies and initiatives to improve the accessibility and affordability of appropriate housing for both international students and for people working in the tourism sector. The Committee heard this is particularly critical for regional areas which are potentially more reliant on tourism and international students, but face additional challenges in providing suitable and reliable accommodation compared to major cities, thus making it difficult for regional tourism operators to attract staff and for regional education providers be seen as destinations of choice for international students.
6.83The Committee also continues to support reforms to Australia’s migration system that will support clearer pathways to skilled worker visas in areas of critical skill needs, including in the tourism sector, which continues to face workforce shortages.
6.84The Committee reiterates its support for the international education sector to work with key stakeholders to support the wellbeing of students and better prepare international students and businesses with the required knowledge, skills and experiences, to provide international students with opportunities to transfer into work areas for which they are qualified.
Recommendations
6.85The Committee urges the Australian Government to consider the recommendations from the Committee’s Interim Report on the international education sector, with a particular emphasis on implementing policies and actions that support regional education providers.
6.86This consideration of the Interim Report should take into account updated government policy settings in the sector, to ensure that the adoption of recommendations aligns with their intent.
6.87The Committee recommends the Australian Government promotes the accessibility and affordability of appropriate housing in regional areas and supports policies which will increase housing stock more broadly to improve the availability of housing for international students and workers in the tourism sector.
Senator Deborah O'Neill
Chair
Trade Subcommittee
24 September 2024
Hon Shayne Neumann MP
Chair
Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade
24 September 2024