The government’s plan to limit the number of international students starting next year faces challenges as the Coalition and the Greens oppose the bill.

Labor aimed to return temporary migration numbers to pre-pandemic levels while addressing concerns about untrustworthy education providers. They proposed a cap of 270,000 international students for the upcoming year.

With just two weeks until the proposed January 1 start date, the Coalition criticised the legislation as disorganized, asserting it would not adequately address the issues at hand.

The Coalition’s education spokesperson, Sarah Henderson, along with others, stated that the proposed cap was insufficient to tackle the current crisis.

Both major parties are interested in lowering Net Overseas Migration, but their targets differ significantly. The government anticipates a figure of 260,000 while the Opposition seeks a cap of around 160,000.

Migration credibility

Education Minister Jason Clare remarked that the Coalition’s stand against the bill would undermine Peter Dutton’s credibility on migration matters, emphasizing the contradiction in their approach.

The Greens opposed the bill as well, calling it a mischaracterized migration policy and criticizing Labor’s strategy.

If the bill fails to pass by the end of the month, Ministerial Direction 107 will continue, a regulation that prioritizes certain student applications, disproportionately benefiting larger universities over regional ones.

The education sector has voiced concerns that this direction has led to a significant drop in higher education visa applications this year.