Australia moves India to highest-risk category, tightens student visas

Indian students applying to Australia are likely to face deeper checks, more documents and longer processing times after a key visa re-rating

Australia has tightened scrutiny for student visa applicants from India after moving the country into the ‘highest-risk’ category under its visa risk framework, alongside Nepal, Bangladesh and Bhutan. The change took effect from January 8, 2026, after the four South Asian countries were shifted from Evidence Level 2 to Evidence Level 3 under the Simplified Student Visa Framework.

 

The re-rating was done out of cycle, Australian media reported. The administration linked the decision to what it described as “emerging integrity risks”.

 

“This change will assist with the effective management of emerging integrity issues, while continuing to facilitate genuine students seeking a quality education in Australia,” the administration said. “The Australian government wants all students to have a positive study experience during their stay in Australia and receive a high-quality education. It is important that Australia’s international education system and Student Visa Program has the right settings to provide international students with confidence they are investing in the best possible education,” they said.

 

What the re-rating means for Indian students

 

Indian students applying for an Australian student visa are now likely to face deeper checks during the application process. Screening is expected to be more detailed, with greater focus on financial and academic credentials.

 

Applicants may face:

 

• Requests for additional documents

• Manual verification of bank statements

• Additional English language evidence

• Background checks, including calls to institutions and referees

 

Processing times are also expected to increase, stretching from around three weeks to as long as eight weeks.

 

Saurabh Arora, CEO of student accommodation platform University Living, said the move reflects pressure on systems rather than a shift in Australia’s view of Indian students.

 

“With over 830,000 international students, including 120,000 from India alone, making up 16–17% of the total, India plays a central role in Australia’s international education ecosystem,” Arora told Business Standard. “Coupled with neighbouring South Asian countries, this group accounts for nearly a third of Australia’s international intake.”

 

“As demand surges, heightened documentation and financial checks are expected, with the student visa fee now at around $2,000 and a minimum annual living cost requirement of AUD 29,710,” he said.

 

Arora said Indian students with clear academic plans and financial readiness should still be able to move ahead. “This shift shouldn’t be seen as a deterrent to Indian students, but rather a policy adjustment ensuring that students are academically committed and financially prepared,” he said. “Students pursuing education with genuine intent are likely to find this environment more streamlined.”

 

Why India moved to the highest-risk category

 

The administration did not point to a single trigger behind India’s reclassification. The move follows reports of fake degree rackets in India that gained international attention in recent months.

 

India accounts for nearly 140,000 of Australia’s roughly 650,000 international students, while the four re-rated countries together make up close to one-third of enrolments in 2025.

 

Phil Honeywood, chief executive of the International Education Association of Australia, linked the change to shifting global student flows. “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,” he said.

 

“By placing a number of these countries into the highest risk rating level then it automatically enhances any filtering of the student visa applicants to ensure bona fide study motivation,” Honeywood said.