By Admin 
From January 8, 2026, Australia has significantly tightened the scrutiny process for visa applications of students coming from Nepal, Bangladesh and Bhutan as well as India. These four countries have now been put in the high risk category, due to which it may be difficult to get a visa. The Australian Government has removed these countries from Evidence Level-2 to Evidence Level-3 under the Simplified Student Visa Framework (SSVF).
What will change after increasing the strictness on student visa?
When a country is placed on a higher tier, it means that stricter checks and more documentation requirements will apply to citizens of such countries. Indian students applying for visa in Australia will now be thoroughly screened. Additional documents may be asked from them and their background may also be rigorously checked. Manual verification of bank statements will be done. According to The Australia Today report, additional proof regarding English language may be asked and officials will have the right to contact the institutions.
How many students from India are studying in Australia?
Although the Australian administration has not given any specific reason for keeping India in this category, but this step has been taken after the news of busting of fake degree holders in India. Of Australia’s 650,000 international students, about 140,000 are from India alone. These four countries account for about one-third of the total admissions to Australia in 2025.
Experts believe that Australia is the only option left among the 4 best destinations for students to study, because countries like America, UK and Canada are closing their doors to foreign students. Phil Honeywood, chief executive of the International Education Association of Australia, said: “Students who could not get admission in the other three countries are increasingly applying to Australia and in many cases we have seen an increase in fraudulent financial and educational documents.”