The feverish height of the Australia rush is finally over as indicated by the number of education visas issued in March and April 2024.
March and April 2024 saw a combined 573 visas granted compared to 2,487 visas granted in March and April 2023.
This is a 77% drop in 2024 from the same two months in 2023 or another way to put it is that March and April 2024 numbers are only 23% of the numbers in March and April 2023.
The March and April 2024 numbers are comparable to before the pandemic.
In March and April 2019 541 were granted visas.
The numbers for the two months of 2024 are a significant drop when compared to the combined numbers of the two previous admission months of January and February 2024 which saw 1,787 Bhutanese getting visas. This is again compared to 3,169 visas in January and February 2023.
Even when one looks at the total student visas granted in March and April 2024 it is 42,061 for all countries compared to 83,318 in March and April 2023.
The highest ever number of student visas granted to Bhutanese was in the 2022-23 financial year (FY) when 15,552 visas were granted. The highest before that was 2,933 visas in 2019-20 FY.
During the start of the 2023-24 FY it initially looked like the 2022-23 FY record would be broken as the July, August, September and October 2023 months saw higher visa grants than even in 2022, however, once the Australian government started tightening things then the numbers dropped dramatically from November, December 2023 and January, February, March and April 2024.
However, the total number of visas issued in 2023-24 FY is the second highest till April 2024 with 8,969 primarily due to the first four months of the 2023-24 FY.
There are two main reasons for the drop in visa numbers.
One is a much higher rejection rate due to Genuine Student requirement replacing the Genuine Temporary Entrant requirement coupled with stricter checks by both visa officers and also Universities becoming pickier.
For example, March 2024 saw a visa grant rate of 75.4% compared to March 2023 with 87.6% grant rate. Similarly, April 2024 saw an even worse visa grant rate of 59.9% compared to April 2023 with 83.7% visa grant rate.
The second reason for the drop is lesser numbers of Bhutanese applying, with the Australia government signalling it wants to cut migration by half in two years and with more cuts in the following two financial years after that.
A host of measures have been taken as part of this and the latest is an end to ‘visa hopping’ by 1 July 2024 which basically means Temporary graduate visa holders can no longer apply for student visas on shore while in Australia.
This means once a Bhutanese student finishes a course he or she cannot apply for another one to extend their stay there.
Many foreign students, including Bhutanese, had used this loophole to indefinitely extend their stay in Australia.
Another major change from 1st July 2024 is that except for those who graduate from Masters Research courses and PhD graduates those doing all other taught Masters, Bachelors, Associate Degree and Vocational will have a 35-year-old age limit to apply for post-study work visas.
Earlier, from 23 March 2024 English language requirements for student visas was increased from IELTS 5.5 to 6.0 and for graduate visas from IELTS 6.0 to 6.5.
Private colleges in Australia have been issued with warning notices and any college with high visa rejection rates will be downgraded. As a result, colleges themselves are rejecting students.
Visa requirements have also been significantly tightened in Canada and UK.
With Australia starting to dry up Educational Consultancies are hard at work trying to promote alternative education destinations from USA to Europe.
However, the conditions in all of the above are nowhere as easy or friendly as Australia with barriers being higher fees, less friendlier work options, language barriers and even tougher visa rules.
A Bhutanese girl based in Germany named Tshering went viral on TikTok when she cautioned Bhutanese students wanting to come to Germany citing how difficult it is to earn without knowing German and how the earning is barely enough to sustain.
According to Pema Phuntsho, a digital creator, there was a case where his friend, a Bhutanese student, came back with a huge loan from Germany.
Chairperson of the Association of Bhutanese Education Consultancies (ABEC), Palden Tshering, said the Australian government has made a number of changes and we should expect to hear a few more announcements in the coming months.
“As international students, it is your responsibility to be informed of changes that will affect your ability to make an informed decision. You must understand the implications of your actions. International students will no longer be eligible to stay in Australia on a second visa or subsequent student visa any more. From July 1st, visitor visa holders (tourists) will not be able to apply for a student visa,” he added.
Palden said in the past Bhutanese students have been incorrectly advised that they could utilize a loop hole in the system to prolong their stay in Australia by using these methods.
He said Education Consultancies and Placement Firms registered in Bhutan and members of ABEC are legally not allowed to discuss or advise any client on migration pathways.
The Chairperson of ABEC said while Australia is still open to genuine student, the doors are shut for students from non-registered firms, private colleges that have been exploiting Bhutanese, including other international students by promoting Australia as a cheap study destination for personal gain.
“The Australian government does not want permanently temporary students.”
He said 35-year-old age limit affects individuals that do not fall under the Australian skills list and are looking for longer term work related options after graduating.
“When it comes specifically to spouses becoming students, basically a role reversal, it’s too early to say how it affects that category.”
He said while Europe is becoming an option, but the same rule applies. International students must respect the laws in place that govern them and not look or be swayed by promotions of easier, cheaper entry.
Palden pointed out that overall the numbers looking to study abroad are definitely more realistic and hitting pre-pandemic numbers.
“We will experience a further dip in numbers with the national service program being implemented later this year as well. So, the next 24 months will be leaner, but we all knew this would happen.”
He said Australia goes through international student recruitment cycles like a bell curve every few years. It goes up and comes down and goes back up again.