Student bridging visas surge as Labor tries to manage migration numbers ahead of 2025 poll

The number of people on student bridging visas has soared, further undermining the Albanese government’s fight to control migration numbers.

Shadow immigration spokesman Dan Tehan during question time at Parliament House. Picture: Martin Ollman/NewsWire

The number of foreigners seeking student visas has soared by more than 100,000 in the past year, fuelling the Albanese government’s struggle to control its migration policy.

New figures show 113,566 people were on student-related bridging visas in the first quarter of this financial year, compared with just 13,034 in the middle of last financial year.

The numbers jumped nearly 25 per cent between June 30 this year and September 30 as the Department of Home Affairs seeks to make it harder for some people to apply for a student visa while they are in Australia.

Shadow immigration spokesman Dan Tehan said the numbers released this month were further evidence of the problems with the system.

“Labor has made a mess of immigration and their attempts to clean up are just making it worse,’’ Mr Tehan said.

“The Albanese Labor government’s failure to manage student visas is indicative of Labor’s failure across every aspect of immigration, from the mass release of criminal non-citizens into the community, to record arrivals during a cost-of-living crisis.’’

Department of Home Affairs assistant secretary (temporary visa branch) Alison Garrod told the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee that the government received a sharp increase in visa lodgements in June.

This was after imposing restrictions on moving to a student visa while onshore. Ms Garrod described the rise as a “bubble” during the transition phase.

Of the 113,566, she said: “The vast majority will be awaiting a primary decision from the department; that will be the bulk without any doubt”.

She said the department was monitoring the monthly movements in bridging visas.

“We are looking pretty closely at what we think could happen,’’ Ms Garrod said.

Asked if the 113,566 figure was a peak, she said there were “peaks building on peaks”.

Mr Tehan said the numbers showed the government was failing on migration.

“The Treasury Secretary (Steven Kennedy) has admitted that because of Labor’s Big Australia they will, once again, miss their migration targets for this year and next year. And the government still can’t answer the most fundamental question: where will all these people live?’’ he said.

The Australian revealed this month that more than 120,000 arrivals of ­relatives of foreign students had been recorded using special visas under the Albanese government, with one in five not taking part in any education.

Tens of thousands of recipients of the so-called secondary student visas travelled to Australia because a relative or spouse was studying here, the new figures show.

The large numbers of family members of overseas students linked to Australia’s education system came amid the cost-of-living crisis and the tight demand for housing.

The Coalition sees the issue as significant in the run-up to the election, and plans to cut the net overseas migration intake to 160,000 next year if elected – 100,000 lower than the government’s forecast.

The figures detailing the number of bridging visas were contained in the Department of Home Affairs’ November document on the administration of the immigration and citizenship programs.

They show that student-related bridging visas were the dominant of its type.

Bridging visas allow people to remain in Australia for a period of time between visa applications, or until they are able to leave Australia.

People cannot be granted a bridging visa if they are outside Australia.

It can sometimes take years for issues to be resolved, with the Administrative Review Tribunal’s decisions made under the Migration Act. The cost of reviewing most migration decisions is nearly $3500.