Australia has begun a crackdown on visa approvals, rejecting visas for international students at record rates since the beginning of 2026. Applications from students belonging to India, Nepal and Bangladesh have been the worst affected, facing massive cuts as compared to 2025 visa approvals.
The refusal rates on visa applications by international university students reached 32.5% in February this year. This is the highest rate of rejections seen in one month over the past 20 years and more than double 2025's maximum of 15.5%.
