- High Commissioner Philip Green clarifies that study visas are for education only and not for migration purposes.
- India has been moved to Evidence Level three risk, requiring stricter proof of funds and academic transcripts.
- The Australian government has capped the total international student intake at two hundred ninety-five thousand for twenty twenty-six.
Australian High Commissioner to India Philip Green told Indian students this week that study visas are for education, not migration. He said people seeking settlement should use separate skilled visas.
He put it bluntly.
Free toolOPT Timeline Calculator Online
"Education visas are for education."
Green also said anyone who wants to stay permanently must make a different application in India. He said Australia has about 140,000 Indians in the country as students, and that it issued "something like 50,000 visas for skilled Indian workers" last year. Some graduates can remain for a year or two after study, depending on the course. The routes are separate.
His remarks landed while Canberra keeps a closer watch on student files. On January 8, 2026, the Department of Home Affairs moved India from Evidence Level 2 to Evidence Level 3, the highest risk category, after citing emerging integrity risks. The change did not close the door. It raised the bar.
Applicants now have to show at least AUD 29,710 for living costs, plus more for dependents. They also need three-month bank statements and verified academic transcripts. Since March 23, 2024, Australia has used the Genuine Student requirement instead of the Genuine Temporary Entrant test. The form changed.
Australia is asking for tighter proof
The newer application asks for four mandatory answers, each capped at 150 words. Students must set out their ties to home, explain the value of the course for their career and show they understand life in Australia. The test is narrower than the old one. It asks more of each applicant.
The government has also kept the overall international student intake cap at 295,000 places for 2026. That ceiling sits alongside the stronger screening. Green's message fits that direction.
One common onshore switch has been shut
New rules now block people from changing from a visitor visa or a temporary graduate visa, Subclass 485, to a student visa while in Australia. That cuts off one common onshore switch. The path is narrower.
Processing times for Indian student applications have also lengthened, from an average of 3 weeks to between 3 and 8 weeks. The queue is slower. The delay now sits beside the higher savings test and the extra document checks.
