Over the last four years, Australia has made several adjustments to its immigration policies to tackle labor shortages brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic and to manage the subsequent influx of post-pandemic immigration. These changes have notably impacted the student population in Australia.
In the 2022-23 period, Australia granted approximately 500,000 student visas to primary applicants, marking a 40 percent increase compared to levels in 2018-19 and nearly double the figures from ten years ago. However, as policies have gradually tightened, the number of student visas issued fell to 332,000 in 2023-24, with expectations for further declines as new restrictions come into effect.
Similar trends have affected students from the Pacific Islands and Timor-Leste. Historically, scholarships from the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and the Department of Defence have played a vital role in drawing Pacific students to Australia, thereby nurturing the Pacific student community before the pandemic. The relaxation of work hour restrictions during COVID-19 also provided strong economic incentives for Pacific students to support themselves while studying in the vocational education and training (VET) sector. This incentive was revoked in July 2023, and although its effects lingered for a short while, the number of visas is now decreasing as new financial and other challenges have emerged.
Despite these overarching trends, a detailed examination indicates that Fiji has stood out as the primary beneficiary among Pacific nations, effectively seizing opportunities during the pandemic. The number of visas issued to Fijian primary applicants surged more than five-fold from 2018-19 to 2022-23, and this figure remained relatively elevated in 2023-24. Most of this growth occurred in the VET sector, but enrollments in higher education also more than doubled, indicating a positive shift.
Conversely, Papua New Guinea and other Pacific nations, along with Timor-Leste, saw much smaller increases during the immigration surge. The percentage of student visas granted to PNG dropped from 0.36 percent—averaged over the preceding decade—to 0.23 percent in 2022-23. Similarly, the share for other Pacific countries and Timor-Leste decreased from 0.25 percent to 0.18 percent.
This increased volume has proven to be fleeting. In 2023-24, the number of student visas issued to PNG fell below the levels seen in 2018-19 and was significantly lower than in 2014-15. Other Pacific countries and Timor-Leste heavily depend on support from the Australian government. When excluding visas backed by DFAT and Defence, the number of student visas in 2023-24 was lower than in 2018-19.
For many individuals from the Pacific and Timor-Leste, studying in Australia presents economic challenges. This explains why, apart from Fiji, other Pacific nations have not only faced difficulties in benefiting from Australia’s favorable student policies during COVID-19 but are also encountering added pressures due to tightened immigration regulations.
While Australian government scholarships have provided a stable and critical source of educational opportunities for students from Pacific countries, the new Pacific Engagement Visa offers permanent residency status that grants access to Australian student loans and domestic tuition rates—yet these options are limited and conditional. Consequently, an increasing number of individuals from the Pacific are choosing alternative study destinations, driven largely by economic factors.
Educational exchanges play a vital role in strengthening connections between individuals and societies, acting as a powerful instrument for extending soft power. Australia must consider how modifications to its student policies affect neighboring countries and take steps to mitigate further harm to those already marginalized and in need of enhanced opportunities.