New moves by Australia and Canada, international students need to take note

(NLDO) - In order to manage the number of international students, Australia and Canada have recently applied stricter measures.

Visa fees highest ever

In recent days, many international students have expressed concern when the Australian Government decided to increase student visa fees. The current visa fee is up to 2,000 AUD (more than 34 million VND), an increase of more than 25% compared to the old fee, this change officially applied from July 1, 2025.

Ky Nguyen (20 years old, living in Ho Chi Minh City) is planning to study in Australia. He said that although he was informed in advance that Australia would increase visa fees, the increase was quite "expensive". If the interview is not successful, Nguyen will lose more than 34 million VND. Therefore, Nguyen and his family are currently trying to prepare carefully for the upcoming interview.

New changes in Canada and Australia cause financial difficulties for international students

Previously, after the Australian federal election in May 2025, the Labor Party continued to hold power and simultaneously announced an increase in visa fees.

According to Mr. Vu Thai An, Director of GLINT Study Abroad Company (HCMC), the fee increase may cause a short-term shock to Vietnamese students interested in studying in Australia. However, this is also a sign that Australia is making efforts to increase the quality of international students from the inspection and management stages.

"In the face of important changes in costs, students need to carefully prepare their visa applications, prove their financial status and English, avoid unfortunate visa rejections, prioritize choosing professional consulting centers, and seek scholarships or tuition support from universities to offset the increased visa costs. In addition, candidates can compare other countries with more open policies or costs that are suitable for their family's ability and conditions," Mr. An suggested.

Thus, up to now, Australia has surpassed strong countries in the field of studying abroad such as the US, Canada, UK... to become the country with the highest student visa fees.

Australian visa fees have changed in recent years

Canada increases financial proof requirements

Starting September 1, 2025, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will tighten financial regulations for international students who want to study in this country.

5 countries and territories with the largest number of Vietnamese international students today: Korea, Japan, Australia, USA, Taiwan (China)

Specifically, IRCC has just updated the requirements related to proving the applicant's finances in the study permit application. The requirement for proof of finances increased from 20,635 CAD (397 million VND) to 22,895 CAD (440 million VND), an increase of nearly 11%. This is also the second time this country has decided to increase the requirement for proof of finances. In addition, if international students are traveling with relatives, they must prove additional financial resources corresponding to the number of people traveling with them.

According to IRCC, the increase in financial proof requirements is also an annual move by Canada to reflect the current increase in living costs in this country. To prove financial means, applicants can submit various types of documents such as: Proof of having a Canadian bank account in their own name, guaranteed investment certificate (GIC), account statements for the last 4 months, confirmation letter from an individual or school sponsoring the applicant's study abroad expenses, etc.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/dong-thai-moi-cua-uc-va-canada-du-hoc-sinh-can-luu-y-196250709135713179.htm