The National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) strongly condemns the Coalition's announcement to reduce international student numbers by 25 percent, warning the policy will devastate the higher education sector, threaten thousands of jobs, and undermine Australia's research capability and international standing.
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has announced a cap of 240,000 international student enrolments per year, with public universities limited to 115,000 places. The policy specifically targets metropolitan and Group of Eight universities, where the majority of Australia's research is conducted.
NTEU National President Dr Alison Barnes said the policy represents a direct attack on public universities that will hollow out their capacity to provide world-class teaching and research.
"This reckless policy will cost the Australian economy approximately $5.8 billion and potentially lead to thousands of job losses across the sector, based on previous impacts witnessed during COVID-19," Dr Barnes said.
"The trauma from tens of thousands of COVID-era job losses remains fresh in the workforce's mind. With two-thirds of university staff already employed insecurely, our sector cannot sustain another round of devastating cuts."
The proposed policy would also introduce prohibitive visa fees – increasing to $5,000 for Group of Eight universities and $2,500 for other institutions, with an additional $2,500 penalty fee for students who change providers.
"International education is not just a revenue stream for universities – it's a cornerstone of Australia's educational ecosystem, cultural exchange, and global standing. Yet as we approach the federal election, international students are increasingly caught in the political crossfire.
"Peter Dutton's Coalition has adopted rhetoric that demonises international students, using extreme Trumpist language that evokes harmful stereotypes rather than addressing real policy issues. Last year, he referred to international students as 'modern day boat arrivals' – rhetoric that damages Australia's reputation as a welcoming destination for global talent."
"Peter Dutton thinks he can win votes by making students into a convenient scapegoat over housing. The fact is that his theory about students and housing has been debunked by independent researchers."
The NTEU points to the ongoing decline in government funding as the root cause of universities' financial vulnerability, with federal funding falling from 0.9 percent of GDP in 1995 to 0.6 percent in 2021 and worsening since then.
"International education contributes over $40 billion annually to the Australian economy, supporting approximately 250,000 jobs across multiple sectors. Beyond economics, these students enrich our classrooms with diverse perspectives and create vital global networks that benefit Australia for decades to come," Dr Barnes said.
"During COVID-19, we saw up to 35,000 job losses in higher education. The Coalition government at that time – of which Mr. Dutton was a minister – provided a one-off $1 billion boost to research funding to prevent research job losses. No such compensation has been announced this time."
The NTEU is particularly concerned that without a substantial increase in research funding, critical research projects will be abandoned, undermining Australia's capacity to address economic crises, disease, and climate challenges.
