Australia reduces student visa processing to 16 days

The Australian Home Affairs Department has reduced its student visa processing times to an average of 16 days. The improvement follows extensive visa delays in 2022 due to a surge in applications when the world emerged from the pandemic.

The government attributed this achievement to a $48.1 million budget allocation over 12 months, coupled with the recruitment of nearly 600 new staff since July 1, 2022 to support visa processing, the Economic Times reported.

“Good news for international students! Additional Australian Government resourcing since 2022 has led to big reductions in average visa processing times. On average, student visas are now being processed in as little as 16 days,” the government announced in a LinkedIn post.

Continued priority of efficient processing
The efficient processing of existing visa applications remains a top priority for the Australian government. Despite these encouraging statistics, the Home Affairs Department has issued a caution to prospective students. Processing times may still be subject to delays in complex cases, with fluctuations in application volumes and changes to ministerial directions.

To ensure a seamless visa application process, the department recommended that student visa applicants located outside Australia apply for their visas at least eight weeks before their scheduled course commencement date.

This approach can help students avoid unnecessary delays and ensure they have ample time to complete all required procedures before commencing their studies in Australia, it said.

Australia has also announced an increase in the financial capacity requirement. Starting from Oct. 1, student visa applicants will need to demonstrate evidence of AU$24,505 in savings to meet the updated financial requirements.