Australia has tightened its student visa assessment process, moving India into the “highest-risk” category for visa applications, a decision that has raised concern among students and education stakeholders in India. The revised rules came into effect on January 8, according to media reports.
India, one of Australia’s largest sources of international students, has been shifted from Assessment Level 2 (AL2) to Assessment Level 3 (AL3) — the highest risk tier under Australia’s student visa framework. The assessment scale ranges from AL1 (lowest risk) to AL3 (highest risk).
Along with India, countries such as Nepal, Bangladesh and Bhutan have also been added to the highest-risk category, while Pakistan remains in AL3.
What Australian authorities said
According to The Times of India, Australian authorities said the move was aimed at safeguarding the integrity of the student visa programme while continuing to support genuine applicants.
“This change will assist with the effective management of emerging integrity issues, while continuing to facilitate genuine students seeking a quality education in Australia,” Australian authorities said.
They added that the government wants international students to have a positive experience and assured that Australia’s education system and visa framework are designed to ensure students receive high-quality education.
“It is important that Australia’s international education system and Student Visa Program has the right settings to give international students confidence that they are investing in the best possible education,” the statement said.
What the move means for Indian students
With India now in the highest-risk category, Indian students applying for Australian visas can expect much stricter scrutiny. According to reports, applications will undergo:
- Detailed verification of bank statements
- Additional English language certification
- Cross-checking of educational institutions
- Verification of referees and supporting documents
Visa processing times are also expected to increase, as applications will be subject to more extensive background checks.
India among top sources of international students
Despite the downgrade, India remains a crucial market for Australian education. As per the Australian education ministry, India is the second-largest source of international students, after China.
- Indian students in Australia: ~1.4 lakh
- Chinese students in Australia: ~1.9 lakh
(As per 2025 data)
Why was India moved to the highest-risk category?
While no official reason has been cited, the decision comes amid reports of fake degree and document rackets in India. Recently, the Kerala Police uncovered a massive fake degree scam, allegedly supplying fraudulent documents to over 10 lakh applicants seeking admission to international universities.
The controversy reportedly sparked a political debate in Australia, intensifying concerns about visa misuse.
Australian Minister for International Education Julian Hill earlier remarked that Australia has become the “least worst country of choice” among the Big Four destinations — the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia — for international students. He said this trend had prompted authorities to place greater emphasis on documentary evidence and risk filtering to protect visa integrity.