Claims that international students are the ‘modern version of the boat arrivals’ are inflammatory and unhelpful | Sean Stimson

As Australia grapples with a housing affordability crisis, international students are being unfairly scapegoated.

International students contribute almost $50bn a year to our national economy and represent a small fraction of rental tenants nationwide, and they are not responsible for a housing crisis that has been years in the making.

Recent claims by the Coalition that international students are “the modern version of the boat arrivals” are inflammatory and unhelpful.

International education is Australia’s fourth-largest export and our largest service export, surpassing all but iron ore, coal and natural gas. In New South Wales alone, international education is the second-largest export, generating nearly $18bn annually. This sector supports local businesses, creates jobs, fills part-time and casual roles in industries with labour shortages, and enriches our cultural landscape.

Blaming international students for rising rent and housing prices is not only unfair but also shortsighted. It diverts attention from the systemic issues plaguing our housing market and ignores the true root causes of these problems. Instead of targeting people that contribute so much to our economy, we should focus on addressing the real issues.

The housing crisis is driven by a chronic undersupply of affordable homes, lack of effective rent controls, and the commodification of housing as an investment rather than a basic human right. Successive governments have consistently failed to address these issues.

The Coalition’s recent comparison of international students exercising their legal rights in the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) to “boat arrivals” is both inaccurate and incendiary. International students are not exploiting a weakness in the system; they are navigating a complex and often opaque immigration process in pursuit of education and the opportunity to contribute to Australian society. The AAT and similar bodies ensure that legitimate cases are heard, and their existence is crucial for upholding justice. Everyone has a right to access legal remedies when there has been an error of law.

The Albanese government’s proposal to increase international student visa fees by more than 200%, from $710 to $1,600, will deter many students from choosing Australia, particularly those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. In a competitive international education market, this could harm Australia’s attractiveness as a study destination.

This policy also risks having a devastating impact on smaller educational institutions, which rely on a steady influx of international students. Many of these institutions serve as feeder schools for larger universities. A decline in enrolments could threaten their financial sustainability and result in significant job losses.

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The ramifications extend beyond the education sector. Reducing international student numbers through exorbitant visa fees could create a harmful ripple effect across the economy. International students support jobs in education, retail and hospitality and also often work part-time in industries like healthcare – sectors already experiencing workforce shortages.

International students deserve safety, respect and fair treatment. Scapegoating them for broader policy failures is not only morally wrong but also risks damaging Australia’s reputation as a welcoming and inclusive destination for education. In a globalised world where competition for international students is fierce, Australia cannot afford to tarnish its image by mistreating those who contribute so much to our society.

The housing crisis requires our politicians to have the political courage to address the real issues without resorting to scapegoating or short-term fixes.

Sean Stimson is senior solicitor at the Redfern Legal Centre International Student Legal Service

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