International students across Australia have taken to social media to celebrate Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s re-election, hailing it as a turning point for their futures.
In a viral video shared on X, one man declared, “It’s big, big news for all international students, which means more chances, more work rights, better support are on the way.” He added,
“If you are planning to stay or study in Australia, this is your moment… just tighten your seatbelts.”
Another TikTok user called the result a “big sigh of relief for international students”, citing potential changes such as lower visa fees and fewer visa rejections.
“No more $5000 international student visa fees, no more international student visa cuts each year, no more visa issues. It’s great news for everybody.”
Videos featuring celebratory dances and heartfelt messages have flooded TikTok.
One woman captioned her clip:
“As an international student this is a happy moment for us.”
Immigration was a flashpoint in the federal election, with international students — who make up the largest cohort of temporary visa holders — in the spotlight.
A record 197,000 students arrived in February alone, and 2023 saw a historic 853,045 enrolments, representing roughly 3 per cent of Australia’s population.
China, India and Nepal remain the top three source countries. Popular vocational courses include cookery and business management, which also top enrolment numbers at university level.
In contrast, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton campaigned on slashing student numbers by 80,000 annually to ease housing pressure, capping university commencements at 115,000 and limiting overall enrolments to 240,000.
While Labor previously failed to legislate caps due to opposition from the Greens and Coalition, the government pivoted in late 2024 to a de facto cap via ministerial direction, slowing visa processing for institutions nearing enrolment thresholds.
Both major parties agree that international student numbers need to be reined in — albeit with differing strategies. Meanwhile, universities argue international students aren’t driving the housing crisis and warn that restrictive policies are harming a key export sector.
Meanwhile, the Group of Eight (Go8) congratulated the Albanese Government on its re-election, emphasising the critical role of research and development in national productivity.
In a statement, the Go8 said, “Countries that stand still will fall behind. Those who are forward-looking, self-sufficient and agile will be rewarded.”
Highlighting that Go8 universities conduct 70% of all university research and contribute over 20% of Australia’s total R&D investment, the group added,
“Our universities are a great national asset… We look forward to supporting the government to drive research and innovation and secure the nation’s future prosperity.”
Despite the celebrations following Labor’s win, policy uncertainty remains. Experts warn that the era of unlimited international student intake is over, with both sides of politics committed to tightening controls.
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