The Bhutanese Leading the way.
In the Financial Year (FY) 2024–25, a total of 6,186 students and dependents from Bhutan were granted visas to Australia, indicating that the “Australia rush” had slowed compared to the previous two financial years.
This figure was lower than FY 2023–24, when 9,787 visas were granted, and the peak of FY 2022–23, when 15,552 visas were issued.
However, in the first six months of FY 2025–26, from July to December 2025, a total of 5,916 Bhutanese were granted visas, with six months still remaining in the financial year.
These figures show that in just six months of 2025, almost the same number of Bhutanese were granted visas as in the entire FY 2024–25.
It was widely predicted, including by education consultancies and migration agents, that the outflow from Bhutan would slow down or stabilise from FY 2024–25 onwards. However, the data suggests otherwise, with students and dependents continuing to leave in large numbers.
At the current rate, close to 10,000 students and dependents could travel to Australia by the end of FY 2025–26 on 30 June 2026.
The data aligns with two important anecdotal observations on the ground. The first is reports of employees resigning from government agencies and private companies to pursue further studies in Australia. The second is the scenes at Paro International Airport, where families gather in large numbers with meals to see off students and dependents.
Flight bookings also provide further evidence, as flights to Bangkok and Singapore are often packed with young travellers compared to flights to Delhi.
While Bhutanese students travelling to Australia is not a new phenomenon, a troubling new trend raises questions about whether they will return after completing their studies.
Of the 5,916 visas granted in six months, 3,381 were issued to applicants already in Australia. This suggests that many are Bhutanese who completed their studies and Temporary Resident (TR) visas and then reapplied for new student visas.
From 1 July 2024, new rules require students to leave Australia after their TR visas expire and apply from outside the country. However, a Bhutanese resident in Australia said that many students temporarily travel to nearby destinations such as Bali or Bangkok, sometimes for just a few days, to submit their applications. They then return on bridging visas while awaiting decisions.
Another category includes those aged over 35 who pursue graduate or ordinary master’s programmes and are not eligible for TR visas. They often enroll in another course before their current visa expires. Those undertaking Master’s by Research or PhD programmes are eligible for TR visas, which many older Bhutanese pursue.
All these practices are within Australian law and are usually advised by migration consultancies and lawyers.
The data shows that not only are young people leaving, but those already in Australia are determined to extend their stay by enrolling in successive eligible courses.
This suggests that Bhutan should not expect a large return of highly educated and trained citizens from Australia in the near future.
Large-scale returns are likely only if there are major changes to Australian visa policies or significant economic opportunities emerge in Bhutan. Some Bhutanese in Australia are also migrating onward to countries such as the United States.
Applications from within Australia increased in FY 2024–25, with 2,168 out of 6,186 applicants applying locally, and this trend has accelerated in the current financial year.
Palden Tshering, Chairperson of the Association of Bhutanese Education Consultancies (ABEC), said that numbers were expected to decline or stabilise, but instead people appear more determined to leave.
He said that although economic reforms are underway, they will take time to yield results. In the meantime, students continue to seek opportunities abroad. He added that most students approach consultancies with the aim of extending their stay as long as possible within legal limits.
Of the 5,916 visa recipients, only 2,740 were students, while 3,176 were dependents, indicating that many are relocating with their partners and children. Among them were 783 children and youths.
This differs sharply from the global trend. In the same six-month period, 153,302 international students applied for Australia, with only 24,892 dependents.
Most Bhutanese applicants were aged between 20 and 29, accounting for about 2,598 individuals.
Bhutanese students first travelled to Australia in 1969 under the Colombo Plan, with five students. From the 1970s to the early 2000s, most studied on donor- or government-funded scholarships and generally returned home.
This pattern began changing in the mid-2000s, with numbers rising from 158 in FY 2006–07 to 393 in FY 2009–10, and reaching 1,480 in FY 2016–17.
The numbers increased further to 2,275 in FY 2017–18 and peaked at 2,933 in FY 2019–20. The COVID-19 pandemic slowed migration in the following two years before numbers surged again in FY 2022–23.
Two recent developments have also affected student visas. First, students whose applications are rejected while in Australia will no longer receive in-person appeal hearings. Previously, appeals took about one year and four months, involving around 50,000 cases, and were often used to extend stays.
Second, agents have been banned from collecting commissions from students who transfer institutions or courses before completing their studies.
Earlier, Bhutan, along with India, Bangladesh, and Nepal, was downgraded to Assessment Level Three, requiring more documentation and longer processing times for student visas.
