Australia International Student arrivals drop from tens of thousands to dozens

 

While figures from the Department of Home Affairs show 555,310 student-visa holders remained in Australia as of June 30, arrivals from overseas have ground to a halt.

Last July, an estimated 144,000 students arrived in time for the second semester of study, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

This July, just 40 students arrived.

With international travel largely at a halt, restricting students' ability to return home for visits, there are also fewer departures than last year.

But the number of students leaving still far exceeds those arriving.

Student-visa holder arrivals and departures

	2019 arrivals	2019 departures	2020 arrivals	2020 departures
Jan	90,260	68,720	91,610	75,640
Feb	183,900	44,650	121,320	28,960
Mar	72,150	31,960	60,360	42,130
Apr	44,500	45,410	30	9,910
May	34,260	39,300	40	5,460
Jun	46,040	118,850	60	7,450
Jul	143,840	65,290	40	12,130
Aug	54,960	39,680
Sep	45,300	48,430
Oct	50,830	39,230
Nov	38,260	109,430
Dec	38,690	142,940

Source: ABS

With COVID-19 restrictions moving many classes online, the on-campus experience has been compromised.

Mr Tehan praised the nation's universities for being "second to none" in shifting to remote learning, adding many students who had opted to enrol and start studying online would eventually be able to come to Australia.

However, 65,839 international students deferred their studies between January and June, and only 21 per cent of those have since recommenced their courses.

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