Australia sees sharp decline in vocational education visas for Vietnamese nationals

Following four years of steady growth, Vietnamese vocational visa applications have dropped sharply to just 159 for the current academic year. The approval rate has fallen to 14%, the lowest in five years. In previous years, approval rates ranged from 42% to 83%, according to the latest data from Australia’s Department of Home Affairs, released in April.

This sharp decline in Vietnamese visa approvals contrasts with overall trends. From July 2024 through Q1 2025, Australia granted over 6,800 vocational student visas, down 54.7% from 14,737 issued during the same period last year. However, the national approval rate for vocational visas rose to a record-high 73%, up from the historical average of around 40%.

The drop in Vietnamese approvals comes amid broader reforms to Australia’s student visa policies, which have been tightened over the past two years in an effort to manage migration levels.

Last year, the allowed post-study work period for international students was shortened from four to six years to just two to four years. Universities were also categorized into three tiers based on their student recruitment risk levels, with visa processing times for tier 2 and 3 institutions expected to be slower than for tier 1.

English language requirements for vocational education students were raised by 0.5 points to an IELTS score of 6.0, while a new cap limited part-time work for international students to 24 hours per week. In addition, financial proof requirements increased to AU$29,710 (US$19,820), a 20% hike, and the student visa application fee doubled from AU$710 to AU$1,600, making it one of the most expensive visa application fees globally.

Students at TAFE Queensland, a public vocational institution in Australia. Photo from the school's Facebook page

As of late 2024, Australia hosted nearly 1.1 million international students across various education sectors, including universities, vocational institutions, secondary schools, English language programs, and non-degree courses. Vietnamese students accounted for over 37,600 of the total, ranking fifth by nationality.

International education contributed AU$51 billion to the Australian economy in 2024, making it one of the country’s top five export sectors.

At an education seminar in September 2024, Katherine Tranter, Senior Migration Officer for student visas at the Department of Home Affairs, identified six common reasons for visa rejections: incomplete documentation, failure to respond to requests for additional information, lack of genuine study intent, document fraud, inadequate English proficiency, and insufficient proof of financial support for tuition and living expenses.