Comments by NSW Premier Chris Minns that universities should invest more in student housing put the need for student accommodation supply at the heart of the conversation.
The rate and type of migration is always going to the be the subject of public discussion and targeted changes are always worthy of debate. Untargeted proposals to dramatically slash international student numbers, including One Nation’s plan to reduce student visa holders from around 590,000 to 350,000, would come at a significant economic cost to Australia and do little to solve Australia’s housing shortage.
Student Accommodation Council Executive Director Dr Adele Lausberg said international students should not be treated as a proxy for broader migration debates.
“International students are temporary visitors who come to Australia to study. They support one of our largest export industries and contribute tens of billions of dollars to the economy. They are not the cause of Australia’s housing crisis.
“If governments want to reduce pressure on the rental market while maintaining a world-class international education sector, the answer is more student housing, not fewer students.”
Dr Lausberg warned against conflating international education with permanent migration.
“PBSA is directly designed to cater to students. And every student housed in PBSA is one less person competing in the private rental market.”
Research by Mandala confirmed that international students account for only a small share of Australia’s overall rental market at 6 percent. Purpose-built student accommodation provides dedicated, professionally managed housing that is additional to general housing supply.
“The evidence shows that restricting international students delivers only marginal rental relief but has the potential to negatively impact jobs, economic growth and Australia’s global competitiveness as a study destination.”
Dr Lausberg said governments should work with universities, investors and accommodation providers to expand student housing supply, including recognising PBSA as a distinct housing asset class and improving regulatory settings that support long-term investment.
“Building more student housing is the practical solution for both our economy’s success and for helping to solve the housing crisis.”
