While the intent of these reforms is to strengthen the integrity and quality of international education , there is concern over the impacts it will have on student attraction and industry growth . VET programs are expected to be the most impacted , due to their lower fee and short course duration structure . This has implications for Gold Coast as VET programs attracted the largest number of international students . VET programs also had the second highest economic impact and supported the highest proportion of local jobs .
Table 1 : Economic impact to Gold Coast economy per international student
Direct and indirect value added
VET $ 32,296 0.42 jobs Higher Education $ 38,607 0.36 jobs ELICOS $ 27,766 0.36 jobs Non-award $ 28,042 0.38 jobs School $ 20,519 0.27 jobs
Local jobs supported
Higher Education , on the other hand , may benefit from the changes introduced in the Migration Strategy , providing greater clarity on post-study pathways . These pathways are primarily for skills and qualifications obtained through Higher Education programs , thus being more attractive for students as a study option . An increase in the number of international students enrolled in Higher Education programs will also benefit Gold Coast as this study type had the highest economic impact on the local economy . Retaining highly skilled graduates will also improve productivity of the workforce and further enhance the economic impact in the local economy .
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IMPLICATIONS The education and training industry is a significant part of Gold Coast ’ s local economy , with international students representing a large proportion of the student cohort . The attraction and development of international students has faced challenges in recent years , resulting in lower-than-average growth rates . Affordable and available housing has been a significant barrier for international students . For example , many students have been unable to secure accommodation before their arrival , resulting in withdrawal from their programs . The housing shortage is being experienced at a national level and not exclusive to international students . Net overseas migration reached a historic high in 2023 and although being a significant driver of economic growth in Australia , has placed further pressure on housing demand . In response , the latest budget from the federal government has halved the intake of overseas migrants from 528,000 in 2022-23 to 260,000 by 2024- 25 . Although the new Migration Strategy does not appear to pose a cap on student visa applications , it does have several implications for international education . These include , but are not limited to :
• raising the English language requirements
• a new ‘ Genuine Student ’ test
• low risk providers will be afforded prioritised processing for their student visa applicants
• broad integrity measures
The international education reforms of the Migration Strategy may also have implications for the local workforce . International students largely fill roles in retail , accommodation , food and beverage service , and care industries ( Study Australia , 2024 ). Since 2022 , Gold Coast ’ s accommodation and food services industry has demonstrated a consistent increase in the demand for local jobs .
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