Australia places India in ‘highest-risk’ category for student visas, increasing checks, documentation, and processing times for Indian students.

Australia has increased screening for student visas applications from India, even as it places the nation in the “highest-risk” category, along with several others. The revisions, which went into effect on January 8, have raised worries in India, one of Australia’s top source countries for overseas students.

According to a report in Australia Today, India has advanced from Assessment Level 2 (AL2) to Assessment Level 3. The assessment levels range from AL1 (lowest risk) to AL3 (worst risk).

While India, despite being one of the largest sources of international students, has been moved from AL2 to AL3, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Bhutan have all been added to the “highest-risk” list. Meanwhile, Pakistan remains in the high-risk category.

“This change will assist with the effective management of emerging integrity issues, while continuing to facilitate genuine students seeking a quality education in Australia,” the Australian authorities stated, according to the report.

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The Australian government wants all students to have a great study experience while in Australia and to acquire a high-quality education. It is critical that Australia’s foreign education system and Student Visa Program are set up in such a way that international students can be certain they are investing in the best education possible,” they added.

What does this change signify for Indian students?

With the recent move, Indian students who wish to study in Australian educational institutions would be rigorously scrutinized and subjected to stringent background checks.

According to the research, being placed in the “highest-risk” category for Indian students would include reviewing their bank statements, obtaining further English language certification, and verifying educational institutions and referees.

Meanwhile, with more vigilance, visa processing times are projected to increase.

According to the Australian Education Ministry, India is only second to China in terms of overseas students enrolled in educational institutions. According to figures from 2025, there are approximately 1.4 lakh Indian students in Australia, and approximately 1.9 lakh Chinese students.

Why was India elevated to the ‘highest-risk’ category?

Although there has been no official reaction or explanation for the move, it comes amid allegations of bogus degree busts in India. The Kerala Police recently discovered a bogus degree business that supplied fraudulent documents to over ten lakh candidates to international universities. The row had sparked a major political firestorm in Australia.

Julian Hill, Australia’s Minister for overseas Education, stated that the country has become “the least worst country of choice amongst the Big 4” for overseas students, referring to the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada.

This, he explained, had resulted in a greater reliance on documentation evidence and risk filtering to maintain visa integrity.