More than a quarter of Australia’s student-visa holders remain overseas despite efforts to revive the country’s $37.6 billion pre-pandemic industry.
Figures from the Department of Education, Skills and Employment show that as of July 4, there were 420,369 primary student visa holders in Australia, 26 percent of whom were overseas.
China ranks first on the Top 10 country list of international students in Australia. About 116,113 Chinese students hold student visas, 49 percent of whom were outside Australia.
Reasons for students staying overseas include slow visa approval, passport replacement, local lockdown, expensive air tickets, fear of COVID-19, the high cost of living in Australia, and getting used to taking classes remotely….