How foreign students in Australia lost their sheen in a nation of immigrants

SYDNEY – Australia was the clear top choice when Mr Ali Bajwa, a native of Pakistan, wanted to pursue a doctorate in agricultural science. The research in the field was cutting edge, the universities were highly ranked and overseas students were welcome in the country, where international education has been referred to as “the biggest export we don’t dig out of the ground”.

Mr Bajwa arrived a decade ago, specialising in weed control. He brought his family over, all becoming naturalised citizens. He spent years in Wagga Wagga, a rural town, working for the state government and continuing research in weed science. He now teaches at La Trobe University in Melbourne and is a home owner.

But those hoping to follow Mr Bajwa’s path face a new reality.

Politicians on both sides of the aisle have turned to capping the number of international students as a way to rein in unaffordable housing, a crisis at the top of voters’ minds before May’s election. The argument is that this will reduce demand for rentals and starter homes and tamp down prices.
It is a major shift for Australia, whose economy depends on mining but that once saw education as a “super growth sector” and sought to compete for students with the United States, Britain and Canada.

“We gain a lot more than we lose to international students,” said Mr Bajwa, 35. “There should be a lot more focus on improving the selection criteria or requirements than a blanket ban or limiting the number.”

In 2024, the government of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese sought to impose a limit on international students but failed to pass legislation. It has since increased student visa fees and slowed processing, reducing the arrival of students from overseas.
The opposition leader, Mr Peter Dutton, has pledged