Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced plans for new legislation that would ban children under 16 from social media. The proposed laws, to be introduced to parliament in late November, will require tech companies, not parents, to verify users’ ages. Albanese emphasized this measure aims to protect children’s safety online, with no penalties for users themselves.READ FULL
Australia has announced plans to limit international student enrolments to 270,000 for 2025, aiming to curb record migration that has contributed to rising rental prices. The government is implementing reforms to make the international student sector more sustainable. This decision follows recent measures to end COVID-era concessions for foreign students and workers. While international education is a major export industry for Australia, the surge in migration has raised concerns about housing pressure and become a potential election issue. Reuters
Australia has more than doubled its international student visa fee to A$1,600 ($1,068) as part of efforts to curb record migration. The government has also banned visitor visa holders and temporary graduate visa holders from applying for student visas onshore. These measures aim to restore integrity to the international education system and create a fairer migration system. Universities warn that continued policy pressure risks Australia’s position in international education, a major export industry. Source Reuters