Universities Australia CEO says election year resulted in ‘horrible treatment’ of international treatments

The head of the peak body for universities has blamed the ‘horrible treatment’ of foreign students in Australia on ‘election year politics’ and touted Labor as the ­’favourable government for the sector’.

Luke Sheehy, CEO of Universities Australia. Picture: Universities Australia/X

The head of the peak body for universities has blamed the “horrible treatment” of foreign students in Australia on “election year politics” and touted Labor as the ­“favourable government for the sector” when it comes to inter­national education.

Universities Australia chief executive Luke Sheehy told the Asia-Pacific Student Accommodation Association Conference that international students were put at the centre of an election battle over housing and migration, blamed for rental affordability and availability problems despite evidence to the contrary.

“Our sector is emerging from a very volatile period for international education. In the past 18 months new policy settings have curtailed growth in international enrolments, student visa fee increases, delayed visa processing, changes to post-study work rights, international enrolment limits. The list goes on,” he said.

The Australian previously revealed the number of international students who applied for and were granted a student visa in the first two months of 2025 fell dramatically from previous years – a first indication the government’s “de facto cap” largely targeting Chinese students was working.

“I, along with many others, called this horrible treatment of international students for what it was – election year politics,” he said. “Both Labor and the Coalition (bowed) to political pressure and (deferred) blame for domestic policy failures.”

Mr Sheehy said both major parties had taken aim at international students during the election but that Labor “arguably presents a more favourable government for the sector as far as international education is concerned”.

“Under Labor … enrolment limits are higher. Student visa fees are lower. And the settings to control numbers are fairer across the sector. Labor also promised to deliver sustainable growth in international education over time. The government now has a mandate to deliver this,” he said.

“This is an opportunity for a much-needed reset in international education. It’s time to support this sector with good policy.”

Mr Sheehy said the government needed to “honour this and commit to growing the sector for Australia’s benefit” after Australians “rejected hard cuts” to the international education sector.

“To give investors the confidence to back new student accommodation. To give students confidence Australia is a welcoming destination for them. To give universities confidence they can educate international students. And to give Australia confidence to grow and prosper,” he said.

Education Minister Jason Clare has indicated the government might continue to rely on Ministerial Direction 111 to reduce the number of inter­national student visas. “Direction 111, as well as the ­increase in the visa fees to ­students, has helped us to reduce student visa applications by about 30 per cent this year, so that’s working,’’ Mr Clare said.