The Australian Government has announced its decision to enforce stricter visa rules for Nigerian students and other individuals planning to migrate to the country, as the number of migrants reaches a record high.

According to Reuters, starting from Saturday, there will be increased English language requirements for student and graduate visas. Additionally, the government will have the authority to suspend education providers from recruiting international students if they repeatedly violate regulations.

Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil stated in a press release, “The actions this weekend will continue to drive migration levels down while delivering on our commitments in the migration strategy to fix the broken system we inherited.”

The report further explains that a new “genuine student test” will be introduced to crack down on international students attempting to primarily work in Australia. Furthermore, “no further stay” conditions will be imposed on more visitor visas.

This development follows a series of measures taken last year to eliminate COVID-era concessions introduced by the previous government, including unrestricted working hours for international students. The government had indicated that the rules would be tightened, potentially reducing its migrant intake by half over two years.

In 2022, Australia increased its annual migration numbers to help businesses address staff shortages caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to strict border controls and a two-year exclusion of foreign students and workers. However, the sudden influx of foreign workers and students has added pressure to an already tight rental market.

Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics revealed a 60% increase in net immigration to a record 548,800 people in the year ending September 30, 2023, surpassing the 518,000 people in the year ending June 2023.

Overall, Australia’s population grew by 2.5%—the fastest rate on record—to reach 26.8 million people by September of the previous year.