The rising variety of research visa refusals involving candidates searching for to proceed Australian packages in Australia or pursue programs additionally obtainable of their residence nation has left sector sources questioning the elevated use of a reasoning they are saying has lengthy been normal.
Whereas many had hoped worldwide college students could be spared broader immigration adjustments, the Australian authorities has in latest months tightened measures, together with passing an integrity invoice concentrating on “unscrupulous” brokers and introducing larger danger rankings for a number of South Asian nations.
The coverage strikes come as assistant minister for worldwide training Julian Hill stresses the necessity to preserve high quality within the sector, guarantee college students are genuinely eligible, and curb malpractice amongst brokers.
They comply with robust progress in lodgments between October and December final 12 months from markets like Bangladesh and Nepal, after danger ranges for a number of South Asian nations had been lowered in September 2025 and 2026 NOSC limits had been raised, permitting most public universities to exceed their ordinary allocations.
The relaxations, which can have inspired aggressive recruitment from South Asian nations and ran counter to the federal government’s push to deepen engagement with Southeast Asia, probably contributed to sharp drops in visa approval charges for Bangladesh, Nepal, and India, falling from above 90% to round 50-70% by December.
Seen as a “correction” after September coverage adjustments directed at a number of markets, the road that rejections are based mostly on “comparable programs being extensively obtainable within the applicant’s residence nation” just isn’t new, however its elevated use is elevating concern amongst Australian suppliers.
“That is one thing that has been quoted by visa refusals for a number of years however appears to be growing in frequency with massive numbers of generic reduce and paste visa refusals being seen,” a senior Australian college official advised The PIE Information, talking on situation of anonymity.
“What just isn’t clear is why the difficulty of an identical course within the residence nation is of concern for some college students however not others. There seems to be very inconsistent software of this clause, and on the present time, virtually an arbitrary really feel to visa determination making for South Asian college students.”
Experiences counsel candidates from nations like Sri Lanka are seeing an increase in rejections, with approval charges falling from 94% in 2024/25 to 90.3% in 2025/26 (to December 2025), partly because of the notion that it’s simpler to review at residence, at a time when three Australian universities have opened or are planning campuses there.
Nevertheless, the Division of Dwelling Affairs (DHA) acknowledged that these refusals replicate normal migration standards, indicating that they’ve much less to do with the supply of transnational training alternatives within the applicant’s residence nation.
“In contemplating the circumstances of candidates of their residence nation or nation of residence, the Division considers causes for not learning in an applicant’s residence nation, nation of residence or area if an identical course is accessible there; the applicant’s private ties to their residence nation or nation of residence; the applicant’s financial circumstances; and political and civil unrest and navy service commitments within the applicant’s residence nation or nation of residence,” acknowledged a DHA spokesperson.
“The Division encourages candidates to incorporate of their software as a part of proof and details about their circumstances causes for not learning of their residence nation or nation of residence if an identical course is accessible.”
These apparently subjective refusals stay probably the most irritating and difficult components of scholar mobility
Neil Fitzroy, Oxford Worldwide Schooling Group
Whereas the spokesperson acknowledged that research visa purposes are typically assessed on a case-by-case foundation, consultants additionally imagine the refusals concentrating on college students with entry to comparable programs again residence replicate broader frustrations with seemingly subjective choices.
“These apparently subjective refusals stay probably the most irritating and difficult components of scholar mobility – notably when comparable scholar profiles had been granted visas solely a month or two in the past, and there was no acknowledged change in necessities,” mentioned Neil Fitzroy, managing director, Australasia, Oxford Worldwide Schooling Group.
With research visa software charges now at AUD$2,000 and appeals to the Administrative Evaluation Tribunal (ART) costing AUSD$3,580 every – at a time when over 50,000 circumstances are already pending — Fitzroy finds the refusal reasoning unfair to college students.
“It’s unconscionable, notably now given the non-refundable AUSD$2000 software charge, that potential college students who seem to have fulfilled standards from the supplier and Dwelling Affairs are topic to such excessive ranges of visa refusals,” he acknowledged.
