The latest information regarding the IELTS examination from December 11th, 2023, indicates that Australia has raised its IELTS score requirements. Australia is currently experiencing population overload, prompting the government to announce new policies aimed at tightening student visa regulations and restructuring work visas to reduce the influx of immigrants in the coming years.

Specifically, Australia is experiencing a record increase in the number of international students, with over 700,000 holding student visas as of September 2023, with Vietnamese students ranking sixth in this number. With such a large influx, coupled with previous immigration numbers, Australia has begun to experience a housing crisis, exploitation of student visas for work purposes, illegal employment, and associated abuses such as labor exploitation, involving both international students and export labor.

Almost all cases of labor exploitation and disadvantage are attributed to lack of proficiency in English or absence of IELTS certification.

Facing that issue, the Australian government on December 11th decided on a new immigration strategy, which includes 18 specific actions such as: developing an immigration pathway for skilled workers, implementing policies to combat exploitation of labor, streamlining documentation and visa application processes, focusing on international education sectors.

Student visa regulations will be tightened, with higher IELTS standards

Australia has made several new commitments related to international education. Among them is the requirement to enhance English proficiency to better facilitate the educational experience for international students and reduce exploitation in the workplace. Australia argues that English language requirements for visa issuance are lower compared to some similar countries like Canada.

Specifically, by 2024, candidates must achieve an IELTS score of 6.0 or equivalent certification instead of the previous 5.5 for applying for study visas, and IELTS 6.5 instead of 6.0 for work visas post-graduation. For students under English Language Intensive Courses for Overseas Students (ELICOS) or University Foundation Studies, the corresponding scores must be 6.0 and 5.5 respectively. This will pose a hurdle for tens of thousands of individuals on their visa application journey (SBS News).

In fact, this isn’t a major obstacle if you have already explored TherealIELTS’ IELTS preparation programs.

Moreover, the application process for studying will replace the genuine temporary entrant form with a genuine student test. The specific content has not been disclosed yet, but according to various media reports, the test will require applicants to demonstrate financial capability, educational background, English proficiency, and will be interviewed about their reasons for choosing Australia for study..

The Australian government will also announce two new directives to streamline the visa application process for international students. The first is to outline the key factors that need to be considered before deciding to grant a visa, such as academic progression, career advancement, and the relevance of the course the student wishes to pursue. Failure to meet these expectations will result in rejection.

The second directive, effective at the end of 2023, will prioritize processing of study visa applications based on the risk level associated with the education service provider: “Providers with higher risks will face slower processing times, as visa decision-makers will consider not only the honesty of individual students but also the integrity of the providers.”

Australia also makes several commitments to protect the rights of international students, such as simplifying post-graduation work visas, limiting visa hopping, and raising standards for international education providers. Shortening the post-graduation work period for master’s degrees from 3 years to 2 years, and for doctoral degrees from 4 years to 3 years.

Tightening regulations to reduce quantity but increase quality.

According to Australian Minister for Home Affairs, Clare O’Neil: International education is Australia’s fourth-largest export commodity, and the government wants international students to truly come to Australia to study. We want to bring immigration numbers back to normal. The issue here is not the numbers, but the future of Australia.

The immigration strategy also involves reforming the skilled work visa system and providing more pathways to become permanent residents in Australia. Among these, Australia will introduce a new visa to expedite visa processing within 7 days for anyone newly arriving in Australia to work with a salary of $135,000 USD or above. This decision is expected to attract over 3,000 skilled professionals to the country.

Visa applications of talented candidates for key positions in various professional fields such as science, technology, and cybersecurity will now be processed within just one week instead of one year as before. However, this change enables Australia to attract the most skilled, necessary individuals to fill essential roles.

With the increase in the IELTS score requirement, it is evident that continuing to prepare for the IELTS exam is crucial if you plan to study abroad in Australia. You can call the hotline at 092 298 5555 to receive advice on the IELTS courses organized by ANT EDU.

Learn more about ANT EDU’s charitable programs promoting English language learning and IELTS preparation at:

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