Recent debates about the housing crisis in Australia have reignited discussions about the nation’s immigration policies. While some suggest that reducing overall migration could ease pressure on the housing market, others have specifically identified the growing number of international students as a key contributing factor. The blame here is that international students create excessive competition in the rental market, and thus, make it harder for locals to secure affordable housing.
In response to these concerns, the government proposed a controversial bill to cap the number of new international student arrivals at 270,000 for the coming year. This measure was presented as a way to reduce temporary migration numbers and address housing shortages. However, the bill failed to pass the Senate last month after being opposed by the Coalition and the Greens party. While some universities welcomed this outcome, the broader issue of framing international students’ impact on the housing crisis remains unresolved.
Instead of imposing caps, the government should consider implementing stricter admissions criteria to regulate international student enrolment in a more equitable and transparent manner.
