Australia has switched on Ministerial Direction 115, a sweeping instruction that re-orders the student-visa (subclass 500) queue by the risk rating of education providers. Applications linked to low-risk universities jump to the front, while those tied to high-risk or over-enrolled colleges are pushed back. The rule took effect on 14 November 2025 and immediately changes the calculus for the 1.2 lakh Indians who apply each year.
Key operational changes include a flat AU $2,000 filing fee, stricter evidence of genuine temporary stay and a clamp-down on onshore “visa-hopping” from visitor or temporary-graduate status. Work-rights caps stay at 48 hours per fortnight during term, but unlimited hours during official breaks. Course-packaging remains possible yet will face closer scrutiny—gaps longer than two months are now fatal.
![Australia’s new MD 115 student-visa directive reshapes the game for Indian applicants]()
For Indian students—and the universities that recruit them—the provider’s compliance record is suddenly strategic. A Bengaluru applicant holding an offer from a Group-of-Eight university could see approval in three weeks, while a peer bound for a historically non-compliant private college might wait three months or face extra document requests. Agents and corporate sponsors need to counsel candidates on choosing low-risk institutions and submitting flawless dossiers on the first try.
Employers that rely on the post-study talent pipeline should also note the knock-on effect: slower subclass 485 (temporary-graduate) outcomes when feeder student visas are delayed. Mobility teams forecasting Australian assignments for 2026-27 should build extra lead-time into planning and keep close watch on each provider’s risk grade, published quarterly by the Department of Home Affairs.
Although MD 115 does not cut visa numbers, it deliberately “slows the funnel” where compliance is weak. The message for Indian families is clear: pick your university wisely and prepare documents well, or risk missing the next intake.
Key operational changes include a flat AU $2,000 filing fee, stricter evidence of genuine temporary stay and a clamp-down on onshore “visa-hopping” from visitor or temporary-graduate status. Work-rights caps stay at 48 hours per fortnight during term, but unlimited hours during official breaks. Course-packaging remains possible yet will face closer scrutiny—gaps longer than two months are now fatal.
For Indian students—and the universities that recruit them—the provider’s compliance record is suddenly strategic. A Bengaluru applicant holding an offer from a Group-of-Eight university could see approval in three weeks, while a peer bound for a historically non-compliant private college might wait three months or face extra document requests. Agents and corporate sponsors need to counsel candidates on choosing low-risk institutions and submitting flawless dossiers on the first try.
Employers that rely on the post-study talent pipeline should also note the knock-on effect: slower subclass 485 (temporary-graduate) outcomes when feeder student visas are delayed. Mobility teams forecasting Australian assignments for 2026-27 should build extra lead-time into planning and keep close watch on each provider’s risk grade, published quarterly by the Department of Home Affairs.
Although MD 115 does not cut visa numbers, it deliberately “slows the funnel” where compliance is weak. The message for Indian families is clear: pick your university wisely and prepare documents well, or risk missing the next intake.
