International students flocking back to Australia

Figures released by the Australian Immigration Department show total student visa applications increased by 7.1 per cent in the three months to the end of September 2013 (JAS). Offshore student visa applications increased by 27.6 per cent with Higher Education visas accounting for 42.1 per cent of total applications.

Streamlined Australian Visa processes are understood to have played a role in the increased applications.

Total student visa grants increased by 13.6 per cent in the quarter compared with the same period in the previous year.

Nearly 19 out of every 20 applications for a student was accepted. As at 30 September 2013 there were 346, 965 international student visa holders in Australia.

All top five markets for international students showed improvement with China (up 4.9%), India (up 7.3%), Vietnam (up 41.6%) and Brazil (up 17.6%) and Nepal (up 28.9%) accounting for half of all applications.

Applications for student visas by Indian student increased substantially between July and September in 2013 compared to the same months in 2012. 4,148 Indians made offshore applications for student visas during the months, more than double the figure for the same period in 2012. Also, more than 90 per cent of Indians who applied for student visas were successful, compared with 74 per cent in 2012.

Greg Evans, deputy chief executive of Universities Australia, told The Australian the figures reflected “both improved regulatory and visa conditions provided by government as well as the tireless efforts of our universities”.