International student ‘exports’ turn hungry, broke imports

I have often argued that the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ (ABS) reported $51 billion of education exports is exaggerated and grossly overstates the benefits of international students to the Australian economy.

The ABS calculates this remarkable export figure using “an average spend estimate from Tourism Research Australia … supplemented by the addition of total expenditure on course fees”.

The ABS improperly labels all international student spending as exports, even when it is paid for with money earned in Australia.