Securing residency after studying abroad is becoming harder

According to Vietnam’s consular department, 80% of self-funded Vietnamese students studying abroad want residency due to higher incomes and better benefits.

In English-speaking countries like America, the U.K., Australia, and Canada, gaining residency is a powerful motivation for studying abroad.

However, achieving this goal is becoming increasingly challenging.

Since 2024 international education policies in leading destinations for international students have changed significantly, affecting both education and residency opportunities.

Canada, for example, plans to issue only 360,000 study permits in 2024 (a 35% reduction from 2023) and will further reduce them annually by 10% until 2026.

Financial proof requirements since 2024 have doubled, with students needing at least CAD20,635 (US$14,660), which is 75% of Canada’s low-income threshold.

Besides, post-graduation work permits are now limited to university graduates, while spouses of master’s students in short programs (under 16 months) are no longer allowed to work.

In Australia, changes to its 2023 Migration Strategy will take effect in 2025. These include limiting new international student enrollments to 270,000 annually and prioritizing public universities and trade schools.

Since May 2024 financial proof requirements have increased from AUD24,505 to AUD29,710 (US$15,870 to $19,241), which is 75% of Australia’s minimum wage.

Other restrictions include higher English proficiency requirements, age limits and limited access to post-graduation work permits.

Between October 2023 and August 2024 the number of Australian student visas issued to Vietnamese students dropped by 28% from a year earlier.

The UK is also tightening its policies. From 2024 only PhD and master’s research students can bring dependents.

The minimum salary required for long-term work visas will increase by 50% from £26,200 to £38,700 (US$33,110 to US$48,910), and financial proof for dependent visas will rise from £18,600 to £29,000 (US$23,500 to US$36,650).

These changes aim to address long-term issues that negatively affect communities and citizens.

A report shows that since 2010, while universities have barely increased their capacity, the number of international students has grown fourfold. This imbalance has reduced education quality, overloaded immigration systems and created opportunities for visa fraud.

Governments believe the large number of international students adds pressure to housing, healthcare and infrastructure and demand stricter policies.

Canada aims to reduce its temporary resident numbers from 6.5% to 5% of the total population by 2026.

Australia also has plans to halve net immigration from 528,000 in 2023 to 260,000 by 2025.

International students are often blamed for worsening Australia’s housing crisis. Due to a lack of dormitories, 80% of them rent private housing, adding to the pressure on the market.

But research shows international students account for only 4% of the rental market.

Visa policy changes for students are connected to stricter immigration rules. By 2025 Australia will cap permanent residency visas at 185,000 annually and adjust how application points are calculated, including changes to criteria like age, English proficiency, work experience, education level, salary, and priority occupations.

The U.S. is also tightening its immigration rules.

Trump’s return to office is expected to result in stricter measures, following the precedent set during his first term in 2017, when the denial rate for H-1B visas (for highly skilled workers) averaged 18% compared to 3.2% under Biden.

America will likely prioritize permanent residency for STEM field students.

A busy suburban road with America flags hanging. Illustration photo by Pexels

Overall, developed countries are revising immigration policies to balance labor shortages, especially for skilled workers, with challenges like housing shortages, rising living costs, population control, and social cohesion.

So what choices do Vietnamese international students have?

Some alternative countries are more affordable than the top four countries if students study abroad for knowledge only.

In Asia, places like South Korea, Japan and Taiwan are popular choices for Vietnamese students, with 73,000, 49,000 and 24,000 currently studying there.

In Europe, international students can study for free in Germany.

In Vietnam, many international universities have joint programs. These programs allow students to study a part of their course abroad.

Students aiming for residency must plan strategically. They can start by studying in countries with more straightforward admissions, gaining work experience after graduation, and then moving to countries with better residency pathways. For those targeting specific countries, it is important to focus on prioritized fields, improve language skills and stay updated on changing policies.

If students are set on a specific country for residency, they should focus on the fields and levels of study that place prioritizes, gain work experience and improve their language skills.

Some countries offer residency programs for less populated areas. Australia for example has a list of in-demand occupations for each state and territory. But this list changes frequently, and so students need to stay updated.

In short, while international students are still valued, most countries have to adjust their international education and immigration policies to strike a balance with domestic challenges.

This change means staying abroad will be more challenging in future.

Students who want to study abroad and secure residencies must plan ahead for the growing challenges and have long-term strategies in mind.

*Lam Vu is an expert on international relations.