Australia Tightens Student Visa Rules, Savings Threshold Raised: Here Is How It Will Affect Indian Applicants


(MENAFN- Live Mint) "The Australian government has recently tightened the norms for international students applying for a visa to enter the country, and the new rules will come into force from Friday, May 10. As per the updated regulations, the minimum threshold amount needed as savings to enter the country on a student visa has been increased substantially.“The financial capacity requirement has been updated to align with a proportion (75 per cent) of the national minimum wage,” Australia's Department of Home Affairs and Immigration stated in a press release. This means the international students are required to have 75 per cent of the national minimum wage as savings. The government has imposed new guidelines to ensure a minimum standard of living for foreign students studying in Australia read: Tesla lays off over 16,000 employees; many face H-1B visa deadline: 'Feels like a bad dream'The government's statement further reads,“This proportion considers that students are out of course session for 25 per cent of the year. During this time, they may return home or have access to unrestricted work.”Indian students aspiring to study in Australia, as well as those who are already pursuing academic degrees in the island country, must show that they have at least A$29,710 ( ₹16,29,964) in savings, to be eligible for a student visa, which equals 75 per cent of the national minimum wage.“We will assess applications lodged before May 10, 2024, under the financial capacity requirements in effect at the time of application,” the press release further noted read: UK visa review on May 14 to have a far reaching impact on international students from IndiaThe development came just days after the authorities tightened student visa rules to reduce the overall inflow of migrants. The last hike pertaining to minimum saving adjustments was made seven months ago. Previously, an increase from A$21,041 ( ₹11,54,361) to A$24,505 ( ₹13,44,405) was imposed in October last year's Home Affairs Minister Clare O'Neil said the nation is significantly reducing migration levels outside of war or pandemic. He noted that Australia is in the middle of the biggest drop in migration numbers in its history read: Visa-free entry for Indians: Pack your bags this summer; these island nations beckon you with tourist-friendly policiesThe recent modifications to visa policies have been implemented to tackle the rental housing shortages that emerged in the country following the removal of COVID-19 restrictions in 2022.

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