Victoria’s Labor Government will spend $19 million on a strategy to attract more foreign students to the state, which it says will support local jobs and the economy.
Premier Jacinta Allan and Minister for Economic Growth and Jobs Steve Dimopoulos last week launched its Study with Victoria strategy, which aims to position the state as a global education destination while improving the experience of international students.
In announcing the strategy they said that about around 322,000 international students from approximately 170 countries chose to study in Victoria in 2025, generating $17.9 billion in export revenue and supporting around 69,000 jobs.
Mr Dimopoulos said Study with Victoria, which has been allocated $18.6 million over two years under the current budget, would be a major economic driver, and claimed One Nation and the Liberals would “destroy” the sector if elected at the upcoming November state election.
“Victoria will remain a global education partner of choice and Labor makes sure all students benefit from a world class education,” Mr Dimopoulos said.
“Jess Wilson and her Liberal/One Nation coalition will cut Victoria off from the world, gut 69,000 jobs and destroy Victoria’s largest single export.”
The strategy states that overseas students end up filling “critical workforce and skills needs across Australia”, and that 45% of highly skilled migrants nominated under Victoria’s Skilled Migration Program in 2024–25 were international student graduates, 93% of whom studied within the state.
Study with Victoria further states that international students are estimated to make up around 6% of Australia’s renter population on average, while around 40% live in university-owned or purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA).
But the claim is based on a contested report by the Property Council of Australia, and the Reserve Bank of Australia has stated that growth in international student numbers increases rental demand, particularly in areas where housing supply is constrained.
Education experts have also pushed back at government claims that the international student market is an “export”, pointing out that foreign students often borrow money to fund their studies, and pay off their loans by sending the money they earn while working in Australia back to their home countries.
The strategy launch comes after Ms Allan made her only two state visits as premier to India and China, where she vowed to bring in more foreign students and create new pathways to residency.
Header image: Ms Allan pandering to Indian voters (Victorian government).
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