MEDIA RELEASE (AU)

Simon Grant, CA ANZ Group Executive Advocacy and International Development:

“While demand for accounting and audit professionals in Australia climbs, the profession is facing a rapidly narrowing pipeline of future talent.

Given the nationwide skills shortage, and global competition for this talent, it is in Australia’s interests to provide a destination of choice for international students.

Students have choices and will otherwise choose to go elsewhere.

It is important the government consults carefully and widely to manage these complex policy settings and planning required to balance public confidence in the migration intake with housing affordability and cost of living pressures.

CA ANZ strongly supports strengthening the integrity, quality and sustainability of Australia’s international education sector. We look forward to consulting with the government on these important reforms as part of the International Education and Skills Strategic Framework which will be finalised later this year.

We caution the government to avoid regulatory overreach and unintended consequences for Australia’s $48 billion international education sector, the economy, community, employers and organisations like CA ANZ - a professional accrediting body and a TEQSA registered provider of higher education.

The hard cap on total international student numbers needs to be considered in the context of the changes to student visas and rules already made by the government since July last year, and the increases in student visa fees also expected to be announced in tonight’s Federal Budget.

CA ANZ’s pre budget submission calls on the government to improve employment and migration outcomes for international graduates, and make best use of their skills, by supporting reform proposals to improve the quality and coverage of the Professional Year (PY) work readiness program for accounting.”