Australia has moved India into its ‘highest risk’ category for student visa applicants, alongside Nepal, Bangladesh and Bhutan, resulting in stricter checks, according to Australian and Indian media reports.
The Times of India reported that the decision was made outside the usual review cycle, citing Australian media, while authorities said the move was prompted by “emerging integrity risks”. The report noted that no specific official reason was provided for India’s reclassification, but linked the decision to recent reports of “fake degree busts” in India that gained international attention.
India is a major contributor to Australia’s international education sector, accounting for nearly 140,000 of the country’s 650,000 foreign students. Together, the four countries placed in the highest risk category make up almost one-third of enrolments projected for 2025.
According to The Australia Today, assessment levels play a key role in determining documentation requirements and the overall ease with which students can plan their studies in Australia.
“Higher levels typically require more extensive proof of finances, English proficiency and genuine temporary entrant intentions, among other criteria. These changes can slow processing times, increase applicant costs and discourage applicants if perceived as overly burdensome.”
The outlet added that international education stakeholders have emphasised the need for transparency and consistency, particularly for countries that contribute significantly to student numbers and economic activity. India remains one of Australia’s largest source markets for international students.
Experts cited by The Australia Today said that while the changes would likely result in closer scrutiny of applications from South Asia, legitimate students would still have pathways to study in Australia. The Australian Departments of Education and Home Affairs are expected to issue detailed guidance for institutions and agents on how the revised assessment levels will be applied.
“The sector will be watching closely for official documents that could explain whether the Assessment Level changes are temporary or if they signal a longer-term shift in how Australia manages risk across major international student source markets.”
Authorities have observed an increase in suspected fraudulent financial and academic documents from certain countries during recent visits to South Asia, The Australia Today reported.
Australia’s Minister for International Education Julian Hill reportedly said Australia had become “the least worst country of choice amongst the Big Four” study destinations — the others being the United States, United Kingdom and Canada prompting tighter risk controls to safeguard visa integrity.
Meanwhile, The Times of India quoted experts as saying Australia had increasingly become the remaining option for many students, as other major destinations restricted foreign enrolments. Phil Honeywood, chief executive of the International Education Association of Australia (IEAA), was quoted as saying:
“It recently became obvious that student applicants who couldn’t get into those other three countries are increasingly applying to come to Australia, and in many cases we’ve seen an increase in fraudulent financial and academic documents.”
“By placing a number of these countries into the highest risk rating level, it automatically enhances any filtering of the student visa applicants to ensure bona fide study motivation.”
While many in the education sector acknowledge the need to curb fraud, the sudden elevation of several major source countries to the highest assessment level has raised concerns about how risk is assessed and communicated.
According to The Australia Today, Honeywood expressed reservations about the timing and frequency of such changes, warning that uncertainty was affecting education providers during a crucial intake period for early 2026.
He said he had held a “long discussion” with Minister Hill, highlighting two main issues: confusion caused by frequent changes and mixed signals about which countries Australia aims to recruit students from.
Honeywood stressed that universities and colleges require policy stability and clear guidance to plan recruitment, coordinate with agents and support prospective students navigating evolving visa requirements.
