International students studying in Australia hit a new high in 2017 as international education data reflected more than 624,000 full-fee paying international students on a student visa, a surge of 13% across all sectors in 2016. Higher education enrolments increased by 15%, more than thrice the average annual growth rate over the previous decade. Higher education enrolments rose from 305,486 in 2016 to 350,472 in 2017. The majority of 2017 enrolments were by students from China, with 38.2% of the total, and India with 15.5%. This increasing prominence can be attributed to the reputation of Australian universities across the borders. Students tend to perceive Australia as a safe and friendly place to live and study, with outstanding and welcoming campuses.
Despite so, there has been escalating concerns with regards to the issue of student employment, where they have experienced the constant exploitation by “predatory, cash-in hand employers” who refused them workplace rights. Therefore, the government have been called upon to ensure that international students are safeguarded from workplace exploitation and address the critical recruitment and immigration outlook of international students as a result of the tightened visa regulations and lack of interest among many Australian companies in considering them for employment.
Source: University World News