Australia’s international education sector strengthened in June 2025, with Higher Education visa arrivals reaching 33,330, the highest June figure in at least seven years, according to the latest Australian Bureau of Statistics data. Across all student visa categories, 46,570 arrivals were recorded, an increase of 7,350 on June 2024 and slightly above pre-pandemic levels.
Higher Education students drove the rise, up 8,530 from last year, offsetting falls in other sectors. Vocational Education and Training arrivals fell to 6,220 from 6,970 a year earlier, while Independent ELICOS arrivals dropped to 1,650 from 2,400. Postgraduate Research arrivals edged up to 2,980.
Overall short-term visitor arrivals totalled 624,510 in June, up 6.3 per cent on the year. New Zealand, Singapore and China were the top source countries, while India ranked fifth with 36,770 visitors, down from 39,550 last year despite the national increase.
Victoria was the only state or territory to post a decline in short-term visitor arrivals, falling 1.3 per cent to 152,730. Shadow Minister for Tourism, Sport, Events and Hospitality, Sam Groth, said: “Under Labor, Victoria is not seen as a preferred destination for international tourists, with local tourism and hospitality businesses suffering as a consequence.
“Victoria should be the best performing state in the nation. Instead, it is at the back of the pack because the Allan Labor Government has no plan and no money to grow our share of the international tourism market, becoming too reliant on sugar hit events that draw local crowds.
“With Labor putting up taxes on everything from holidays and accommodation, running up record debt, and allowing our roads to crumble, they have made Victoria a less attractive destination for international tourists.
“Labor cannot manage money, cannot manage our tourism sector and Victorians are paying the price.”
Short-term resident returns rose 5.8 per cent nationally to 914,080, with Indonesia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom the most common countries Australians were returning from.
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