Record number of international students flock to Australia in first quarter of 2017

Australia retained its status as an educational hub of the world as international student numbers rose by 15 percent in the first quarter of 2017 when compared to the same period last year. This was revealed by the Federal Department of Education and Training whose data showed these numbers. Meanwhile, data revealed by the ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) on 26 May showed that enrolments of international student contributed A$22.4bn to the economy of Australia in 2016. Simon Birmingham, Federal Education Minister, said that all states and territories witnessed positive numbers. Birmingham was quoted by The Educator as saying that Australia in 2017 received a record figure of international students as over 550,000 students from about 190 different nations arrived in the country. He added that their international education system was crucial to the economic prosperity of Australia as the country continues to shift from an economy that thrived on the mining and construction boom to an economy that now relies more on services, knowledge and innovation. He noted that data in the first three months of 2017 revealed that students who arrived in Australia were those who were commencing higher education in this year’s first semester and others commencing full-time courses in vocational education and training and also in schools. Birmingham said that Australia was set to witness another record year of international education. Richard Colbeck, former Minister for Tourism and International Education, said that their world-class qualifications are the main reason why many international students prefer to study in Australia. This is further bolstered by their intuitions reputation, the safety provided by Australia and the quality of research and training that their institutions offer. Most popular destinations for study for international students were schools in NSW and Victoria. If you are looking to pursue higher education in Australia, get in touch with Y-Axis, a renowned immigration consultancy company, to apply for a student visa.