International Students Are ‘The Modern Boat People,’ Says Opposition Leader

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has compared the recent rise in international students visa appeals to the “modern version of the boat arrivals.” The Coalition MP’s comments came in the wake of a report from The Australian, which suggested courts and tribunals were preparing for thousands of appeals from international students following a government cap on numbers as part of a move to stem unsustainable migrant growth. According to the report, the Administrative Appeals Tribunal had received 15,754 appeals from prospective overseas students who had their student visa applications rejected or cancelled, a significant increase from 2,244 appeals the year before. The appeals were reported to have come predominantly from China and India, and that taxpayers would be “picking up every dollar.”...