Australia has moved India into its highest-risk category for student visas, introducing tougher documentary requirements and increased scrutiny of applications as part of a revised assessment framework that came into effect on January 8, 2026.
Under the revised system, India has been reclassified from Assessment Level 2 (AL2) to Assessment Level 3 (AL3)—the highest risk tier. The framework ranges from AL1 (lowest risk) to AL3 (highest risk). The decision comes despite India being one of Australia’s largest sources of international students, with nearly 140,000 Indian students among the country’s approximately 650,000 international enrolments.
In a statement, Australian authorities said the change in evidence levels would “assist with the effective management of emerging integrity issues, while continuing to facilitate genuine students seeking a quality education in Australia.”
Several other South Asian countries, including Nepal, Bangladesh and Bhutan, have also been moved to the AL3 category. Pakistan already remains in this highest-risk tier.
According to Australia Today, Julian Hill, Minister for International Education, remarked that Australia has become “the least worst country of choice amongst the Big Four” destinations for international students, the others being the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada. Under the new classification, students will be required to submit more extensive proof of finances, English language proficiency and genuine temporary entrant intentions, among other criteria.
Former Deputy Secretary of the Australian Department of Immigration, Abul Rizvi, said higher risk levels mean significantly deeper verification. “Officials will not just look at the documents but also behind them. They will ring institutions to check transcripts and may contact banks to verify financial statements,” he said, adding that a recent major fake document bust in India could have contributed to the reclassification.
Kerala Fake Degree Racket
The move comes in the backdrop of a major fake certificate racket uncovered by Kerala Police, which allegedly supplied fraudulent documents of more than 10 lakh individuals to international universities.
Australian Senator Malcolm Roberts accused Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s government of failing to act decisively against such fraud. In a post on X on January 6, Roberts claimed that Indian police had seized 100,000 forged certificates from 22 universities, with more than one million suspected to have been used for overseas employment. He further alleged that 23,000 foreign students in Australia were found with “purchased” degrees, many working in aged care and early childhood sectors.
However, it remains unclear whether Australia’s decision to raise India’s risk classification is a temporary measure or signals a long-term shift in the country’s approach to international student admissions.
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