Labor quietly reverses course on international student numbers

Last year, the Albanese government increased its 2026 international student planning level by 25,000, to 295,000.

However, it was a loose cap only, with Ministerial Direction (MD) 115 allowing institutions to exceed their caps by 15% before the Department of Home Affairs would deprioritise visa processing for new applicants linked to that institution.

For example, if a university’s allocation is 10,000 places, it could recruit up to 11,500 students without penalty. If universities exceed 11,500, the Department of Home Affairs would slow down visa applications for their students.