Are International Students Being Unfairly Targeted in Australia?

A Modern Comparison?

Opposition leader Peter Dutton has stirred controversy with his recent remarks likening international students seeking visa extensions to the "modern-day version of boat arrivals." His comments surfaced during a discussion about the rising number of international students in Australia and the significant increase in visa extension applications to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT).

Exploiting System Weaknesses?

Dutton claimed that international students appealing for visa extensions were exploiting weaknesses in the immigration system. “This is the modern version of boat arrivals; people have found a weakness in the system and are exploiting it,” he stated. He further suggested that these students are receiving advice from lawyers who help them navigate the system to secure longer stays in Australia.

Government’s Rebuttal

A spokesperson for Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke quickly countered Dutton’s assertions, stating that the federal government is focused on restoring integrity to the international education system and will not apologize for its policies.

Experts Weigh In: A Flawed Comparison

Dutton's comments have faced intense scrutiny from experts. Abul Rizvi, a former deputy secretary of the immigration department, dismissed the comparison as “nonsense.” He emphasized the crucial difference between boat arrivals—who enter the country without visas—and international students, who arrive legally. Rizvi remarked, “If Dutton doesn’t understand the difference, he shouldn’t have been home affairs minister.”

He also pointed out that visa holders in Australia have had the right to appeal visa decisions for decades, even during Dutton's own time in office. “What these people are doing is exercising their legal rights,” Rizvi stated, reinforcing that this is not a flaw in the system, but rather a fundamental aspect of the judicial process in Australia.

Connecting Immigration and Housing

In the same interview, Dutton tied the issue of international students to the ongoing housing crisis, asserting that the government’s approach to migration has exacerbated the housing shortage. He argued that the influx of over a million migrants in the past two years has outstripped the construction of new homes, suggesting a lack of control over the migration program.

A Call for Fairness: The Student Perspective

However, registered migration agent Parth Patel believes that international students are being unjustly blamed during political debates. “Whenever there are crises, students are penalized,” he noted. Patel recalled that when the government needed more people in Australia, it promoted initiatives like free student visa extensions and expanded work rights for international students. He emphasized that these individuals significantly contribute to the economy and help address skill shortages in the labor market. “It’s unfair to scapegoat students; they are vital to our economy,” he asserted.

Rising Appeals: A Response to Stricter Policies

According to the Department of Education, there were 943,977 international student enrollments as of July 2024, representing a 17% increase compared to the same period in 2019. The Albanese government’s tightening of migration policies and student visa criteria has resulted in a spike in appeals to the AAT. From July 1 to August 31, there were 15,877 active appeals from students whose visas were canceled or refused.

Ali Mojtahedi, principal solicitor at the Immigration Advice and Rights Centre, highlighted that the rise in appeals is a natural response to stricter regulations. He defended the right of students to seek reviews of visa decisions, calling it a strength of the immigration system. “Access to a merit review is not a weakness; it’s a fundamental right,” Mojtahedi emphasized, underscoring that individuals exercising their legal rights should not be criticized.