International Students Causes Rental Price Hike In Australia; ‘Students No Longer Wanted’
The Institute of Public Affairs (IPA), an independent, non-profit public policy think tank, focussing on the foundations of economic and political freedom in Australia blamed the increasing number of international students for the housing scarcity and rental hike in the country.
In its analysis, the IPA said that the federal government”s policy to take advantage of the international student industry caused rent hikes in Australia.
According to IPA, the increased demand from international students for accommodation in Australia caused 80 per cent of the increase in rents across Australia.
The organisation also observed that the rent would have been raised only by 0.88 per cent if the international students were not there.
“Australians already facing a cost-of-living crisis are set to suffer further as the federal government”s unplanned, record increase in the international student intake drives rents even higher making housing less affordable,” Daniel Wild, deputy executive director of the IPA, said.
IPA research in July also discovered the rise in the arrival of international students in the country was the largest comparatively.
“Australia”s intake of international students is well above comparable countries, and on a per capita basis, it is well over double the United Kingdom and approximately eight times that of the United States,” Daniel said.
Pointing out how the rental price in the country is skyrocketing, IPA said that though some universities provide some accommodation, the majority of international students are seeking it in the private rental market, hence causing a hike for Australians. IPA also demanded the universities in the country to do more to house ‘’those they entice here’’
Many Australians are thereby getting frustrated over the inflow of international students seeing students as a threat.
John Ross, editor of Times Higher Education, a British magazine covering news and issues to higher education, wrote on the issue: “International students, only recently in demand to serve Australians” coffee and stack Australians” supermarket shelves, are no longer wanted because they occupy Australians” apartments. Commentators were astonished at this month”s decision to scrap graduate work rights extensions that had only come into force in July,”
International students, only recently in demand to serve Australians’ coffee and stack Australians’ supermarket shelves, are no longer wanted because they occupy Australians’ apartments. https://t.co/ePR4oNOxGE
— John Ross (@JohnRoss49) December 17, 2023
Australia had in July allowed international students to work up to 48 hours per fortnight, making it 24 hours per week, aiming to provide flexibility to support their studies.
