Australia Introduces New Student Visa Rule: Processing Times Now Linked to University Compliance
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The Australian government has announced a significant policy shift in its management of the international education sector with the introduction of Ministerial Direction (MD) 115, effective this Friday, November 14th. This new directive will replace the existing MD 111 and fundamentally change the priority order for processing offshore Subclass 500 (Student) visa applications.
The move is part of the government’s ongoing strategy to maintain the “quality, integrity, and sustainability” of its international education system and ensure a more balanced distribution of international students across metropolitan and regional locations.
The New Three-tier Priority System
MD 115 ties the speed of an international student’s visa application directly to how well their chosen education provider manages its student intake against government-set limits. This intrduces a three-tier priority system for most applicants:
- Priority 1 (Fastest): If the institution is under 80% of its student allocation, visas are processed quickly, usually within 4 weeks.
- Priority 2 (Standard): When the institution reaches between 80% and 115% of its allocation, visa processing may take 5 to 8 weeks.
- Priority 3 (Slowest): When the institution exceeds 1115% of its allocation, processing slows down significantly, around 9 to 12 weeks.
This new framework is designed to support the 2026 National Planning Level (NLP) for international student places and rewards providers who keep their international enrolments in line with their indicative targets.
Assistance Minister Julian Hill stated that the new direction will “strengthen and balance distribution of international students” and aims to “more fairly respond to the needs of small vocational education and training providers.”
Key Takeaways for Future Students
Provider choice is critical- the institution you apply to will now directly influence your visa processing timeline. Choosing a provider that is responsibly managing its student numbers (i.e., operating within its government-set allocation) is key to faster processing.
Focus on genuine intent- the government continues to emphasise integrity. The new system is designed to discourage “high-risk” practices and promote providers focused on genuine education outcomes.
Application timing- students should note their chosen provider’s status on the day the visa application is lodged, as this determines the processing priority.
The introduction of MD 115 signals a firm commitment by the Australian government to a managed-growth approach, aiming to moderate the pace of international student arrivals back to more sustainable levels.
Source: THE PIE NEWS
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