Outlook Business Desk
Australia is tightening checks on student visa applications from India and its neighbouring countries. The tougher rules will apply from the 2026 intake and have left students, colleges and education agents worried about delays and rejections.
Australia updated its student visa Assessment Levels from January 8. It notified universities and colleges about this via the Provider Registration and International Student Management System, signalling a shift in how visa applications will be evaluated.
The country's Department of Education stated the update targets rising integrity issues in the student visa process, while ensuring that genuine international students can continue to pursue education opportunities across Australia.
To put these integrity checks into practice, Australia uses a country-wise assessment system for student visas. This system, called Assessment Levels, determines how closely applications from different countries are examined.
Assessment Levels (AL) help immigration authorities judge visa risk by country, ranging from AL1 to AL3, with higher levels requiring more documentation, stricter checks and longer processing timelines.
Analysis indicates that India has been upgraded from AL2 to AL3, meaning Indian student visa applications will undergo stricter checks and could face longer processing times than before.
Nepal and Bhutan have also reportedly moved from AL2 to AL3. Sri Lankamoved from AL1 to AL2, Bangladesh from AL1 to AL3, while Pakistan continues to remain in the highest risk category.
The visa changes have caused uncertainty for universities and recruitment agents, arriving just as the main intake season begins, when students submit applications and institutions finalise their recruitment strategies.
Meanwhile, leaders in Australia’s education sector have raised concerns that frequent changes to Assessment Levels are causing confusion for universities and agents, complicating guidance for prospective students navigating the visa process.
On the other hand, Australian authorities pointed to a rise in suspected fraudulent academic and financial documents from South Asia, noting that growing global student demand has pressured the visa system, leading to stricter verification and screening processes.