In a media release on 3 July 2026, the Australian government has announced that the 2027 NPL will remain at the same level as 2026, at 295,000.
The releases states that "Current tracking indicates international student commencements are on track to be below the NPL for both 2026 and 2027. Commencements in 2026 are down 8 per cent compared to the same period in 2025, and 13 per cent lower than 2019."
The release also outlines the recent increase in international student visa fees. Student and temporary graduate visa charges increased 25 per cent on 1 July 2026. A smaller increase was introduced for:
- Pacific and Timor-Leste students
- Students from ASEAN countries
- Standalone English Language Intensive Courses (ELICOS)
- Non-award courses
The government states that it will continue to apply higher priority student visa processing to "strategically important cohorts": Pacific and Timor-Leste students and Australian government scholarship holders.
Minister for Education Jason Clare said, “International education is an incredibly important export industry for Australia, but we need to manage it sustainably. This is about making sure international education supports students, universities and the national interest.”
Read the full media release here.