Skills Education

Student caps - now what?

The recent announcements of student caps for international student intakes have been devastating news for many RTOs in our sector. Understandably, the effects of the imposed caps will impact people and businesses, and many are in a state of 'now what?'.

Without diminishing the gravity of the news and its impacts in any way, this session aims to offer ideas about seeking business continuity through alternative avenues. 

Hear from experienced business coach and entrepreneur Ian Whitehouse about the possibilities of 'what now?' as we look to spark ideas and promote discussion around maintaining business viability.

This session is not PD so no Record of Participation will be issued.

Again, we do not underestimate the impact of the student caps on business owners and staff, and encourage anyone feeling anxious and/or distressed about the limitation to please contact professional help.

• Lifeline: 13 11 14
• Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636
• MensLine Australia: 1300 78 99 78
• Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 457
• 13 YARN: 13 92 76

Universities - indicative international student profiles (ISPs).pdf

New Overseas Student Commencements and 2025 Indicative Limits.pdf

Website Factsheet - NPL and PRISMS 2308.pdf

UPDATE: 21.12.24

International student numbers to be limited using legal workaround

With the student caps bill unable to pass through parliament, the government has found a legislative workaround by rewriting the minister's orders to public servants (immigration officials).

Education Minister Jason Clare wrote to universities on Wednesday evening confirming that Ministerial Direction 107 would be replaced with the new directive "based on feedback from the sector to make the existing system better and fairer".

Higher education and vocational international students made up about 35 per cent of temporary migrant arrivals in the previous financial year, according to Australian Bureau of Statistics data released this month.

The new Ministerial Direction is 111 (MD111).

Under MD111, priority processing (Priority 1 – High) will apply to offshore Student visa applications associated with a provider in the higher education and vocational education and training sectors who have not yet reached their prioritisation threshold as indicated by PRISMS, the Department of Education’s system that manages enrolment information. Once the prioritisation threshold has been reached for a provider, visa processing will continue at Priority 2 - Standard priority. 

Offshore Student visa caseload will be prioritised as we move into Semester 1 2025, while the onshore caseload will also continue to be processed.

Priority 1 – High visa processing will also apply to a range of sectors and student types, for example, the schools and higher degree by research sectors, as well as scholarship and TAFE students, and those from the Pacific and Timor-Leste.

Priority 2 – Standard visa processing will apply to providers who have reached their prioritisation threshold, subsequent entrants, and any other offshore Student visa application.

See the Indicative allocations for VET new overseas student commencements 2025