Australia tightens student visa rules for Indians, moves India to highest-risk category

Australia has moved India into the highest-risk category for student visas and tightened scrutiny for Indian applicants, citing emerging integrity risks. The new classification took effect on January 8, 2026, after India was shifted from Evidence Level 2 to Evidence Level 3 under Australia’s Simplified Student Visa Framework, according to a report by Times of India. India now joins Nepal, Bangladesh and Bhutan in the highest-risk group, in a move reported as an out-of-cycle decision by Australian media.

The Australian administration said the change aims to manage integrity concerns while allowing genuine students to study in the country.

“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 administration said, as per TOI report. It added, “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.”

Stricter visa checks for Indian applicants

According to TOI report, the re-rating means Indian students will face tighter checks during the visa process. Applications will undergo detailed screening, with authorities seeking more documents and conducting deeper background verification.

Bank statements will be manually checked, applicants may be asked for additional English language evidence, and visa officers will have the authority to contact institutions and referees. Processing time is also expected to increase, from around three weeks to up to eight weeks.

Why India was moved to the highest-risk category

Australian officials did not cite a specific reason for placing India in the highest-risk category. As reported by TOI, the move follows reports of fake degree cases in India that drew international attention. India accounts for nearly 140,000 of Australia’s 650,000 international students, while India, Nepal, Bangladesh and Bhutan together represent close to one-third of enrolments in 2025.

Impact of global student flows

The decision also reflects changes in global student migration. With the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada tightening entry for foreign students, Australia has emerged as a key destination. “It recently became obvious that student applicants who couldn’t get into those other three countries are increasingly applying to come to Australia, and in many cases we’ve seen an increase in fraudulent financial and academic documents,” Phil Honeywood, chief executive of the International Education Association of Australia, said.

“By placing a number of these countries into the highest risk rating level then it automatically enhances any filtering of the student visa applicants to ensure bona fide study motivation.”

(With TOI inputs)