AUSTRALIA: Overseas students down 40% last month

Overseas student applications plunged 40% last month following "abrupt and rapid" changes to Australia's visa regime, the country's peak education agent has warned, reports Guy Healy for The Australian. The crackdown on student visas, coupled with uncertainty caused by the continuing delay to the priority skills list, could cost Australia at least AUD600 million (US$540 million) in lost export revenue, IDP chief Tony Pollock told The Australian.

"Last month, there was a significant decline in applications from India, Vietnam and China. It's a concern," Pollock said. "If there's a 10% decline over a full year - with each student adding around $30k to the economy - that would be a $600m shortfall, conservatively."

China and India are Australia's top two source countries for the $17 billion overseas student industry, which employs 125,000 people across the economy, and funds 25% of university teaching.
Full report on The Australian site