- The doors to study abroad and immigration, which had surged in recent years after the pandemic, seem to be closing tightly again. In particular, Australia and the UK, which are among the most popular countries for Koreans, are drastically changing the direction of their immigration policies starting in 2025. This change of 'raising costs and raising the threshold' is so important that it can lead to great disaster if approached without thorough information.
- Today, we will carefully organize the key changes in the Australian and UK study and immigration policies that are newly implemented or proposed in 2025, along with the exact implementation dates. If you are wondering, “Does this apply to me?”, check the table of contents below first to find out what you are curious about.
index
- 1. Australia: More expensive and more demanding (Key changes for 2025)
- – Student visa: Increased application fees and limited number of international students
- – Work Visa: Increased Salary Standards
- – Graduate Visa: Age restrictions and shorter duration
- 2. UK: Is the road to permanent residency twice as long?
- – Work Visa: Significantly strengthened salary and skill requirements
- – Permanent residency: Proposal to extend acquisition period by 10 years
- – Other: Restrictions on family members accompanying international students
- 3. Are Canada and the United States on different paths?
- 4. Conclusion: The era of ‘blind study abroad’ is over
1. Australia: More expensive and more demanding (Key changes for 2025)
- Australia is taking the direction of its immigration policy to be 'higher and narrower' from 2024 to control the number of immigrants who have increased explosively since the pandemic and to solve social problems such as the housing shortage. In particular, many changes will start to take effect starting from July 2025. If you are thinking about studying or immigrating to Australia, you must be familiar with the information that will be explained from now on.
– Student visa: Increased application fees and limited number of international students
- The first change you'll notice is the cost. From July 1, 2025, the basic application fee for an Australian student visa (Subclass 500) has increased by a whopping 25%, from $1,600 to $2,000. Compared to other visas that have increased slightly by about 3% to match the inflation rate, this shows the government's strong will to directly control the number of international students. Now, the cost of applying for a student visa alone is over 1.8 million won.
- Not only the cost, but also the door to opportunity itself is narrowing. According to the policy announced at the end of 2024, From 2025 The 'International Student Cap' will be introduced, capping the total number of new international students who can enter Australia each year at 270,000. This cap will be allocated in the form of quotas for each university and college. This means that it will be much harder to secure a place in a popular school or course than before.
– Work Visa: Increased Salary Standards
- For those considering permanent residency after studying in Australia, there is even worse news. From July 1, 2025 The minimum salary requirement for employer-sponsored skilled migration visas (Skills in Demand visa, Employer Nomination Scheme, etc.) has been increased.
- The minimum salary threshold for general technical occupations (Core Skills Pathway) has increased from AUD $73,150 to AUD $76,515, while the threshold for high-paying professional occupations (Specialist Skills Pathway) such as doctors and IT professionals has increased from AUD $135,000 to AUD $141,210. This is a clear signal that the Australian government will select immigrants with a focus on high-paying, skilled workers who can make a real contribution to the Australian economy, rather than the influx of low-paid workers. For more information, please visit Official announcement from the Australian Department of Home AffairsYou can check it directly through .
– Graduate Visa: Age restrictions and shorter duration
- The benefits of the Temporary Graduate Visa (Subclass 485), which was one of the biggest advantages of studying in Australia, have also been significantly reduced. This change From July 1, 2024 Although it has already been implemented, this could be the biggest obstacle for those preparing to study abroad in 2025.
- The biggest change is the age of application. The application age, which was previously under 50 years old, has been changed to 35 years old or youngerIt has been drastically reduced. For those in their late 30s or 40s who dream of a new career in Australia, the road is effectively blocked. In addition, the additional two-year extension of stay benefit given to some master's degree graduates has also been eliminated, so most bachelor's and master's degree graduates can only stay for a maximum of two years. This is a very important change that could significantly disrupt plans to gain local experience after studying abroad and then move on to permanent residency.
2. UK: Is the road to permanent residency twice as long?
The UK, which has steadily raised immigration thresholds since Brexit, is also implementing stronger policies starting from 2025. Especially for those who aim to stay long-term or obtain permanent residency through employment in the UK, this change should not be taken lightly. This is because the structure is rapidly being reorganized into one where it is difficult to survive unless you are a ‘professional.’
– Work Visa: Significantly strengthened salary and skill requirements
The biggest change is the strengthening of the standards for the core employment visa, the Skilled Worker Visa. Effective from July 22, 2025These new rules effectively change the face of UK employment-based immigration.
- Significant increase in minimum salary: The general minimum salary requirement for obtaining a visa has increased from £38,700 to £41,700 (about 73 million won)The required annual salary (going rate) by job type has also been adjusted upward, making it difficult to meet the level unless you have some experience.
- Skill Level Up: The skill level threshold for occupations eligible for visa applications has been raised again to RQF Level 6 (Bachelor’s degree level) or higher. This means that approximately 180 mid-skilled occupations that were previously eligible for visa issuance are no longer eligible.
- Stop hiring social welfare workers: Due to a shortage of manpower, new overseas hiring has been halted for social workers and nursing assistants, who had previously allowed overseas hiring as an exception.
– Permanent residency: Proposal to extend acquisition period by 10 years
This is probably the most disturbing news for those preparing to immigrate to the UK. May 12, 2025, the UK government has reduced the standard residency period required to obtain permanent residency (ILR, Indefinite Leave to Remain) from 5 years through its immigration policy white paper. Official proposal to double the period to 10 yearsI did it.
Of course, this is not yet a finalized bill, but it is very likely that it will be legislated in the future as it contains the strong will of the government. If this proposal becomes a reality, it will take much longer and more effort to obtain permanent residency in the UK than it does now. For more details on the official immigration policy changes of the UK government, please visit Analysis from the British Library of CongressYou can check it out at .
– Other: Restrictions on family members accompanying international students
There are changes for international students too. From January 2025, except for research-oriented master's and doctoral programs, general master's program (Taught Master's) students can no longer bring their spouses or children on a dependent visa. This is a measure to reduce the influx of accompanying family members who are not studying, and it is a change that will have a big impact on those who were planning to study abroad with their families.
3. Are Canada and the United States on different paths?
Unlike Australia and the UK, which have closed their doors to immigration, the two major powers in North America, Canada and the US, are taking slightly different approaches. Canada has also started to regulate the number of international students, but the US is more active in attracting key talent.
Canadais facing similar concerns as Australia. To solve the housing shortage and social cost problems caused by the rapid increase in international students, Limiting the number of international students starting in 2025It started to reduce the number of student visas issued and more than doubled the amount of proof of financial support required for visa applications from CAD $10,000 to CAD $20,635. This is a clear signal that only ‘prepared’ students will be accepted, and studying in Canada will also require much more careful financial planning than before. For more information, please visit Official announcement from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)You can check it out at .
the other side USAis taking a slightly different path. It is true that the overall immigration policy has become stricter, but it is also true that key talents directly related to national competitiveness, especially Attracting international students and professionals in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) fieldsRather, it is more active. It is wide open to elite talent, such as extending the post-graduation field training (OPT) period for STEM majors and exempting visa interviews for international students who meet certain conditions. This shows the practical immigration policy of the United States, which focuses on 'quality' rather than 'number' and selectively accepts talents that the country needs.
4. Conclusion: The era of ‘blind study abroad’ is over
The policy changes in Australia, the UK and Canada starting in 2025 have one common message: quality over quantity. Rather than simply accepting large numbers of international students or immigrants, these countries are now making it clear that they will selectively attract prepared talent who can make a real contribution to their economies: people with high academic ability, a sufficient financial base and high incomes in their fields after graduation.
Therefore, the era of “let’s just go and try it” or “fugitive immigration” is virtually over. Now, more than ever, thorough advance preparation and clear goal setting are important. Without a specific and realistic plan for why I want to study abroad, what major I want to pursue, what career I want to build, and how I will cover the necessary expenses for the process, there is a very high possibility that I will face difficulties from the visa issuance stage.
Of course, just because the door is narrow doesn't mean the path is completely blocked. Rather, this change gives us an opportunity to look back more seriously on our goals and plans. For those who are meticulously prepared and have a clear vision, a new world will still be open to them.
*Australian Student Visa (Subclass 500): Now only accepting ‘genuine’ students – Go see the article
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