Effective today, Malaysian students planning to pursue further education in Australia must demonstrate savings of at least A$29,710 (roughly RM100,000) to secure their visa, marking the second increase within a seven-month span. This adjustment impacts approximately 15,000 Malaysian students currently enrolled or intending to enroll in Australian institutions.

Last October, the payment for Australia's student visa rose from A$21,041 (RM65,717) to A$24,505 (RM76,528), before climbing once more to A$29,710. This move, as reported by international media, is aimed at tightening regulations on foreign student visas following the relaxation of Covid-19 restrictions in 2022, which led to a surge in arrivals and exacerbated rental market pressures.

In response to these changes, Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr. Zambry Abdul Kadir expressed intentions to engage in discussions with the Australian government regarding the increase in the minimum savings requirement for international students. He emphasized the need for prompt dialogue to clarify whether this policy applies universally or selectively to certain countries.

"We will promptly engage with our counterparts and the Australian government to comprehend their policy," Zambry remarked during the launch event of the New Logo of the UKM Specialist Centre (UKMSC), as quoted by Utusan Malaysia. He highlighted that matters concerning student visas involve not only the Higher Education Ministry but also the Home Ministry.

Previously, international reports indicated Australia's plans to raise the minimum savings threshold for international student visas while issuing warnings to several educational institutions regarding deceptive recruitment practices. Australian Home Affairs Minister Clare O'Neil stated that warning letters had been dispatched to 34 education providers for engaging in "unscrupulous or exploitative recruitment practices," with potential penalties including imprisonment and student intake suspension.

Australia's international education sector, a vital export industry valued at A$36.4 billion (RM112.47 billion) to its economy in 2022/23, has been impacted by heightened migration, contributing to nationwide rental market strains. Migration levels surged by 60 percent to 548,800 individuals until September 30 of the previous year, prompting the Australian government's aim to halve these figures over the next two years.

"We are significantly reducing migration levels; we are in the midst of the largest decline in migration numbers in Australian history, outside of war or pandemic," O'Neil asserted, according to reports.