The Albanese government’s crackdown on Australia’s notorious “ghost colleges” has exposed rampant visa fraud, with some Indian international students openly admitting to using these dodgy institutions to work illegally while pursuing residency.
In August 2023, the government announced the closure of 150 fake education providers and issued warnings to 140 others, labelling them as “visa factories.”
Minister for Education Jason Clare has remarked: “International education is an immensely valuable national asset. … However, there are ongoing challenges. The return of students has also seen the re-emergence of dodgy and unscrupulous operators seeking to exploit them.”
These so-called colleges have been exploiting loopholes in the student visa system for years, offering no real courses but instead serving as a cover for work rights.
A Tribune article highlighting the struggles of Indian students impacted by Australia’s crackdown on “ghost colleges” went viral this week after being shared on Reddit.
Many students from the North Indian state of Punjab admitted to The Tribune that they have enrolled in these colleges not for education but to work full-time while their attendance records and course certificates were falsified.
“I was assured my attendance would be handled while I worked,” one student said, adding that his college was recently shut down.
In this article, migration agents have also confessed to their role in the scam. “Students know the admission is just a formality,” one agent said, revealing he had sent over 250 students to Australia under such arrangements before shutting his operations.
This crackdown follows warnings in the March 2023 Nixon Review, which identified “high-risk” vocational education providers as key players in the visa exploitation scheme.
The Albanese government has since implemented stricter regulations, including increasing financial requirements for visa applicants and using new legal powers to suspend rogue institutions.
Critics argue that some students are co-conspirators rather than victims. “They’re not vulnerable; they’re part of the scam,” one commenter said. Others recounted firsthand experiences working in these “ghost colleges,” where attendance was minimal, and students often worked in unrelated industries like construction.
The Australian government has pledged to restore integrity to the $40 billion international education sector, which is the country’s fourth-largest export industry.
Despite the crackdown, concerns remain about the unintended consequences, including students applying for fake asylum to avoid deportation. The government continues to strengthen regulations while urging international students and providers to uphold the sector’s reputation.
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