International students flock to Australia

The latest data from the Department of Education shows that a record 1.1 million international students were enrolled in Australia at the end of 2024, nearly 250,000 higher than the 2019 pre-pandemic peak:

The number of graduate visas on issue hit a record high of 222,200 in Q1 2025, more than double the 2019 pre-pandemic peak:

The number of bridging visas on issue also hit a record high of 379,800, driven in part by former students refusing to return home and appealing to the Administrative Review Tribunal:

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About the author

Leith van Onselen is Chief Economist at the MB Fund and MB Super. He is also a co-founder of MacroBusiness. Leith has previously worked at the Australian Treasury, Victorian Treasury and Goldman Sachs.