NEW DELHI, Jan 13: Australia has tightened checks for student visa applications from India even as it moved the country into the “highest-risk” category, along with several others, following the recent uncovering by the Kerala police of fraudulent documents of student applicants to international universities.
The changes, that came into effect from January 8, has led to concerns in India, which is one of Australia’s largest source countries for international students.
According to media reports, India has been moved from Assessment Level 2 (AL2) to Assessment Level 3 (AL3). The assessment level ranges from AL1 (lowest risk) to AL3 (highest risk). While India, despite being one of the biggest source of international students, has been moved from AL2 to AL3, several others like Nepal, Bangladesh and Bhutan have also been added to the “highest-risk” category. Pakistan remains in the highest-risk tier.
“This change will assist with the effective management of emerging integrity issues, while continuing to facilitate genuine students seeking a quality education in Australia,” the Australian authorities said.
“The Australian government wants all students to have a positive study experience during their stay in Australia and receive a high-quality education. It is important that Australia’s international education system and Student Visa Program has the right settings to provide international students with confidence they are investing in the best possible education,” they added.
With the latest development, Indian students looking forward to studying in Australian educational institutions will be screened meticulously and subject to rigorous background checks. The “highest-risk” category for Indian students would also mean scrutiny of their bank statements, additional English language certification, verification of educational institutional and the referees. The visa processing time is also expected to increase with the additional scrutiny.
According to the Australian education ministry, India is only second to China in terms of international students enrolled in educational institutions. Indian students comprise around 1.4 lakh students in Australia, while China sends around 1.9 lakh students, as of 2025 data.
Though there has been no official reaction or reason behind the move, the development comes amid reports of fake degree busts in India. Recently, the Kerala Police uncovering a fake degree racket, which supplied fraudulent documents to over 10 lakh applicants into international universities. The row had led to massive political firestorm in Australia.
Julian Hill, the Australian minister for International Education said the country has become “the least worst country of choice amongst the Big 4” destinations for international students, referring to the United States, United Kingdom and Canada. This, he conveyed, had prompted a stronger emphasis on documentary evidence and risk filtering to protect visa integrity.
(Rohit Kumar)
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