Australia has reduced the age limit for Temporary Graduate Visas from 50 to 35 years old, significantly impacting international students and their post-study work opportunities. (Image: Emily Ranquist)
By Prisha Mercy | @prisha_mercy
Thousands of international students have been affected by the age limit reduction to Temporary Graduate Visas, with many being forced to reassess their future in Australia.
The age limit for applicants in the post-vocational education work stream, post-higher education work stream, and the second post-higher education work stream has been lowered from 50 to 35 years at the time of application.
The Australian Government introduced the changes to the Temporary Graduate Visa (TGV) Subclass 485 on July 1, aimed at realigning visa streams with levels of study under the new Migration Strategy.
The strategy outlined new regulations, including measures to tighten post-study work visas.
Applicants in the post-higher education work stream who are under 50 years old remain eligible if they meet the Australian study requirement through a master’s by research or a doctoral degree (PhD).
However, master’s by coursework is still subject to the latest age limit.
Despite the changes, Hong Kong and British National Overseas passport holders are eligible for the visa stream if they are under 50.
Impact on international students: the age limit reduction
The changes have impacted many international students, including Deepti Khambete, a 35-year-old from India who began her Master of International Hospitality Management at the University of South Australia in August 2023.
The sudden reduction of the age limit to 35 was a major setback for Khambete, who will graduate next year at 36, as it made her ineligible to apply for the Temporary Graduate Visa.
Khambete, who transitioned from architecture and interior design to pursue her passion for cooking and hospitality, chose to study in Australia to gain international experience.
She aims to start her own business in India.
Her decision to move to Australia was motivated by the opportunity to work in the country post-graduation, under the previous rules that allowed a post-study work visa until the age of 50.
“I left home and my family behind, which was a big step and sacrifice,” Khambete said.
“I invested so much time, energy, and money based on the previous rules, and now I feel cheated.”
Khambete also expressed frustration about the lack of a transition period or a grandfather clause for those already in Australia.
“Those who are already here shouldn’t be affected,” she said.
Sherine Al Shallah, a law expert from the University of New South Wales (UNSW) and an affiliate of the Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law and the Australian Human Rights Institute, highlighted the broader implications of these changes.
“Australia has a broader policy to cut migration numbers and migration targets are being exceeded,” Al Shallah said.
“One way to do that is with this temporary graduate visa, cutting the numbers of international students because it would dissuade students … from coming.”
She also said the changes could significantly impact Australian universities, which pride themselves on their global status and rely heavily on international student recruitment.
The Migration Strategy found that many former international students, particularly those with higher degrees, remained in Australia for extended periods without gaining the necessary skilled work experience for permanent visas.
It also reported that more than half of these graduates work below their skill level, contributing to a large cohort of “permanently temporary” migrants.
The government plans to reform graduate visas to ensure graduates work at their skill level and address skills needs.
CEO and co-founder of PAX Migration Australia Christina Katsouri-Paxinos said students were beginning to feel anxious about their future pathways.
“I think it will affect many graduates more than the government has considered,” she said.
She advised students to explore other visa pathways, including employer sponsors or general migration options like the 189 or 491 visas.
“[The government] need to consider all available options on a case-by-case basis,” she said.
Master’s student Deepti Khambete said that if she were planning to come to Australia now, and encountered the new rules, she would have reconsidered her decision.
“It wouldn’t make sense to invest my time and money just to stay for two years and then have to leave because of my age,” she said.
A joint survey by Deakin University and the University of Adelaide in 2022 revealed that 75 per cent of international graduates considered post-study work opportunities through the temporary graduate visa as a significant factor in choosing their study destination.
Khambete added that the sudden policy change had also affected her mental wellbeing.
“It kind of robs you of other experiences you were hoping to get here,” she said.
“I think the psychological pressure is definitely something that needs to be understood by those who are making these decisions that affect us.”
Khambete also said the changes “felt very politically motivated, very frivolous and unfair”.
This frustration is also echoed by Yasmin Gutierrez*, a 41-year-old political scientist from Colombia.
Gutierrez, who came to Australia five years ago to learn English and later pursued a diploma in community services, is now ineligible for the subclass 485 visa due to the age reduction and her course’s exclusion from the skilled occupation list.
The skilled occupation list identifies occupations needed to fill skill shortages in Australia and outlines those eligible for various visas.
“[International students] are a big business for Australia, and now I feel like I have no options left,” Gutierrez said.
University of South Australia Student Association (USASA) President Oliver Shephard-Bayly said government policy was sending mixed messages.
“The Australian government has been working very hard to promote the higher education sector and increasing student numbers and it’s just crazy when you’re sending signals like that and then all of a sudden you cut everything,” Shephard-Bayly said.
He also stressed the importance of advocacy to address the impact of the changes on students.
The Australian National University Student Association also criticised the policy in a statement and said the reduced age limit may deter skilled and experienced international students from choosing Australia for their studies.
They also highlighted that the policy overlooked the valuable contributions of international students to local communities and may negatively impact Australia’s ability to retain talent.
UNSW law expert Sherine Al Shallah said it was important to understand why the government were targeting migrant students.
“Is there a problem in terms of capacity?” Al Shallah said. “Or is it just simply not wanting to let people in?”
Al Shallah said restricting the flow of international students could also negatively affect Australian students.
“If we are restricting the students coming here, we are also limiting the opportunities for students here to go elsewhere as well because you’re not building those relations positively,” Al Shallah said.
“It [also] changes student experiences because they would be part of a cohort which doesn’t have as many international students.”
The reduction of the eligible age limit has also been criticised for being discriminatory as it affects older students who often bring valuable skills and experience to the Australian workforce.
Khambete said her age should be viewed as an asset rather than a liability and that her years of experience enrich her perspective and contributions to her field.
“I have worked for so many years and I bring so much to the table that I couldn’t bring 15 years ago,” she said.
“Age is not a weakness but my strength.”
Khambete said many students who pursue a master’s degree later in life face new restrictions that unfairly penalise them for their timing.
“Someone could get a master’s degree at 25, but they chose not to,” she said.
“Maybe it was because of financial or family reasons, but why am I being punished for making this decision?”
Despite the government’s justification that these changes are part of a broader effort to reduce the number of migrants in “permanent temporary status”, the impact on international students has been profound.
Gutierrez said the changes were a mistake.
“They’ve been rejecting a lot of international students, and there’s no legal security for us,” she said.
Recent data from the Department of Home Affairs revealed that offshore student visa rejections reached a record high, with one in five students denied visas in the past year.
The Australian Government said the changes were necessary to better align visa policies with the country’s economic needs and migration goals.
However, the frustration among international students was evident, as many felt they were being unfairly excluded from opportunities to contribute to the Australian economy.
Gutierrez, who has a bachelor’s degree in political science and a postgraduate degree in constitutional law from Colombia, said skilled migrants like herself, with experience and familiarity with local systems, were being overlooked.
“If people have been studying here in Australia for two or three years, they know the system and policies,” she said.
“You are training people that you need but now you are closing this door.
“I think I have the skills, the knowledge, and the interest, but there is no way for me to stay here and contribute.”
Gutierrez said this policy reflected a broader problem with inclusivity.
“Australia talks a lot about human rights, multicultural community — that is not true,” she said.
“These principles don’t apply for everyone because when you are an international student here, you are no one.”
Gutierrez said she was frustrated with the lack of adequate information provided to international students.
“We need to offer international students better information,” Gutierrez said.
“For example, in my case, I had no idea I couldn’t get my skill assessment after finishing my course, and I realized that only after paying $12,000.
“The pressure we have because of our visas is horrible.
“We are not people anymore, we are visas.”
She said she was often asked: “What’s your visa? When’s your visa expiring?”
“It’s not about who you are anymore,” Gutierrez said.
As the new regulations take effect, the full impact of the Migration Strategy’s focus on tightening post-study work visas will become more evident, both for the affected students and for Australia’s position in the global education market.
*Name changed for anonymity
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