It was reported on October 3 that a new report showed that international students on temporary visas were "struggling" after graduation in Australia and struggling to pursue a career of their choice.
The report by the Grattan Institute, a think tank, found that international students who found jobs were paid significantly less than Australian students, and their wages were closer to that of backpackers.
The report said the majority of international student graduates on temporary visas were in low-skilled jobs, with half earning less than $53,300 a year.
The report also found that in 2021, nearly 75 per cent of graduate temporary visa holders earned less than the average Australian worker.
How much lower is the income of international students?
The average annual income of international students on temporary visas is around $53,300, just slightly higher than the $50,700 for holiday workers and well below the average income of all 20-29 year olds with at least a bachelor's degree.
In some specific areas, income disparities are more pronounced.
International graduates with a postgraduate degree in business management earn about $58,000 less a year than Australian graduates with the same qualifications.
International graduates with postgraduate degrees in computing and engineering earn around $40,000 less a year.
International students with undergraduate degrees in engineering or computer science earn $12,000 less than Australian students. For business graduates, the gap is around $10,000 per year.
"International graduates studying health-related degrees earn the most, followed by science graduates, but still earn less than Australian graduates in the same field," the report reads. ”
Why is it difficult for international students to find jobs?
The report also found that only half of international students on temporary visas found full-time employment after graduation.
A survey conducted in the report revealed that this was partly because employers were reluctant to hire them because of their uncertain visa status.
The institute said the length of time graduates are granted the right to work may give international students false hopes of obtaining permanent residency.
International students stay in Australia on temporary visas after graduation, but find it difficult to pursue a career of their choice, the report said.
How many international students are there in Australia?
The report shows that as of July 2023, there are approximately 654,870 international students in Australia.
This is an increase from the pre-Covid 634,000.
The institute said its modelling showed that government policies allowing graduates to stay and work longer could double the number of temporary graduate visa holders to around 370,000 by 2030.
Call for an intensive English test to shorten the visa period
Brendan Coates, the report's lead author, said the policy would leave more graduates in a state of "visa pending," leaving their prospects for permanent residency even slimmer.
He said encouraging so many students to stay in Australia and face hardship was not the best option for anyone.
"This erodes public trust in our immigration program," he said. Coates is also the economic policy program director at the Grattan Institute.
"This is hurting the long-term prospects of graduates who remain in Australia, who have invested a lot of time in Australia but have little prospect of obtaining permanent resident status, which also adds to issues like house price pressure," he said. ”
The report makes a series of recommendations, including raising the English language requirement for temporary visa holders for graduates, shortening the duration of post-graduation work visas and calling for the introduction of a new "Outstanding Graduate" visa that provides permanent residency for the most valuable graduates.
In addition, the report recommends that the government should only extend visas to graduates earning at least $70,000 a year.
Students are "victims" of competition
International student Yeganeh Soltanpour said both international and Australian students were "victims" of increased competition for labour.
In an interview with SBS News, she said: "We have more students getting the same degree, and it is becoming increasingly difficult for a single degree to get a job. ”
"It's not the visa that gives them false hope," she said. ”
Another barrier to employment, Soltanpour mentions, is that international students don't have a network of connections in their local communities.
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