Vietnamese students are currently experiencing unusually long visa processing times when applying for an Australian student visa.
Commenting on the situation, Deputy Australian Ambassador to Vietnam Renee Deschamps revealed that 90 percent of these students are enduring waits of three to five months, VisaGuide.World.
Deschamps also highlighted that his country had experienced a 50 percent surge in study visa applications compared to the previous year. However, he advised these students to apply well in advance and seek advice from peers already studying in Australia.
Australia Student Visa Approval Rate for Vietnamese Students Lowest in 18 Years
As VnExpress reports, by late April, the Australian Department of Education reported over 37,000 Vietnamese students in Australia, reflecting a 49 percent increase from last year.
On the other hand, the Australian Department of Home Affairs data showed that only 12,600 Vietnamese students received visas for ten months from July of the previous year, marking an approval rate of 78.7 per cent—the lowest in 18 years.
This is the only the second time since 2005 that the visa approval rate for Vietnamese students has dropped below 80 percent; it typically ranges between 85 percent and 99.7 percent.
According to IDP Education, Australia is a popular choice for international education, alongside the United States and Canada. Tuition fees range between AUD24,000 and AUD52,000 ($15,845 to $34,331) annually.
However, as of July 1, 2024, the latter has increased the visa fee increase for international students. As a result, the Australian government decided to raise them to €1,600 from €710.
After this decision, authorities said that it is likely that the country may risk losing the request of students for registration in its universities.
Thus, an IDP survey of over 1,400 students found that over one in three considered visa costs when choosing a study destination. After students were told that a massive visa fee hike was about to take effect, the poll rose to about three in five.
Australia’s Stricter Student Visa Rules & Rising Costs Impact Vietnamese Applicants
Post-Covid policies that attract workers have led to a housing strain and prompted Australia to tighten its international student visa policies.
Since February, the post-graduation residency period has been reduced to four years from six, and the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) score requirement has increased to a minimum of 6.0 starting in March.
Additionally, students must take the Real Student test to confirm their educational goals. In the past ten months, only 78.7 percent of Vietnamese applicants received study visas, the lowest approval rate since 2005.
Such a decline is particularly evident among vocational and English language students, with rejection rates rising to 46.8 percent and 48.4 percent, respectively, compared to less than 40 percent previously.
However, acceptance rates remain high for undergraduate and graduate programs, ranging from 90 percent to 100 percent.