International students considering Australia for their studies will have to weigh up paying the highest visa application fees in the world under Albanese government changes. The fees have been hiked 125%, from $710 to $1,600, with Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil saying it’s part of the government’s goal to “restore integrity” to our migration system. They’ve been cracking down on that after criticism that record migration was putting too much pressure on things like housing, after 548,800 people arrived Down Under in the 12 months to September 2023. But critics of the visa changes say they’re too heavy-handed and will push international students to places like Canada and the US – where visas are significantly cheaper. Former Immigration Department Deputy Secretary Abul Rizvi called it “really poor, short-term thinking”, saying “the people it will deter will tend to be good students with options”.