The fall in international student commencements in Australia accelerated in July as numbers from India plummeted with the crackdown on student visa fraud and tougher migration policies. The fall caused a drop of 23% in English sector and a drop of 6.8% in the vocational sector. However, the commencements in the higher education sector increased by 5.6%. The figures, compiled by Australian Education International, have been revealed as the international education sector lobbies government for support and for adjustments to be made to the visa rulings. Melbourne University migration expert Lesleyanne Hawthorne said the vocational and English college sectors were experiencing a necessary reversal after fast growth as students and colleges took advantage of the previous study to migration pathway. The old system awarded bonus points for permanent residency for a plethora of courses, including hairdressing and cookery. However, the government's recent changes would keep students intent on migrating focused on doing quality courses and securing employee sponsorship, she said.
