Training colleges say a cut in international student numbers will damage hinder their ability to operate.

This follows new planned laws which will further scrutinise dodgy providers.

Industry groups, federal departments and colleges all appeared this week at a Senate inquiry into education services for overseas students.

From 2025, the number of overseas students able to come to Australia will be limited to 270-thousand, as part of a bid by the federal government to reduce migration to pre-pandemic levels.

However, colleges across several sectors told the inquiry how the caps could reduce their ability to operate.

The international education sector supports about 250-thousand jobs nationally, with overseas students having university fees three times higher than domestic students.

Article/Blessing CALD Editorial；Photo/Internet

Australians will experience lower standards of living if the nation’s universities continue to fall behind international standards, the sector’s peak body has warned.

With public funding already reducing, universities face possible financial difficulty, as the federal government restricts international student arrivals.

Universities Australia Chair and Uni SA Vice Chancellor David Lloyd says it would be economically self-destructive for the government to continue restricting the higher education sector.

He also said cutting international student numbers will further reduce the ability of tertiary institutions to deliver productivity-boosting research, and the ability to train Australia’s next generation of high-skill workers.

Article/Blessing CALD Editorial；Photo/Internet

A new report has revealed that Australia urgently needs over 21-thousand early childhood educators to meet current demand, with future needs expected to increase further.

The study, released by Jobs and Skills Australia Commissioner Professor Barney Glover, highlighted the unsustainable staffing levels in a sector employing about 200-thousand workers.

An 8 per cent workforce growth was essential for sustainable staffing, with an additional 8 per cent required to meet unmet service demands, according to the latest figures.

The report emphasised the importance of supporting diverse communities, particularly in remote areas, and stressed the critical role of early childhood education in shaping future tertiary education participation.

The federal government has responded with a 3.6-billion-dollar investment in wage increases to attract and retain workers.

However, ongoing staff shortages are forcing centres to turn families away, underlining the need for further action to sustain the workforce and improve the sector’s appeal.