The Federal Government is slowing student visa approvals to address surging enrolments and pre-election migration concerns. 

Reports say Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke will instruct officials to delay visa processing once universities near government-set enrolment targets, aiming to cut 2023 numbers by 16 per cent. 

The strategy follows Senate rejection of Labor’s proposed cap of 270,000 annual new enrolments. 

Instead, Ministerial Direction 111 prioritises visas for institutions up to 80 per cent of their caps, slowing approvals thereafter. While legally required to process all applications, officials can redistribute resources to delay approvals.

Labor forecasts net migration at 340,000 for 2024-25, a 30 per cent increase from previous estimates. 

This new approach seeks to address housing and cost-of-living pressures expected to dominate the next election.

The policy replaces the controversial Ministerial Direction 107, which targeted smaller universities and students from high-risk regions like South Asia, benefitting city-based institutions reliant on Chinese enrolments. 

Universities Australia Chair David Lloyd has supported the change.

“We can say we’re open for business as a nation, there’s no legislated cap, and there’ll be equity of prioritisation for all institutions,” Lloyd said.

Opposition leader Peter Dutton, criticised for rejecting Labor’s caps, has yet to propose alternatives. 

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