Dhaka, Oct. 4 -- Australia's tougher immigration policy has left a clear mark on its student visa statistics, with Bangladesh remaining in the highest-risk Tier 3 category under the latest rating for the visa programme.

The Department of Home Affairs updated its country and institution risk ratings on Wednesday. The new assessment covers visa outcomes from Jul 1, 2025 to Jun 30, 2026.

An analysis by Times Higher Education, an international higher education magazine, and data from the department show that student visa refusal rates for international applicants have risen to record levels.

Approval rates for Bangladesh and other major source countries have fallen to their lowest levels on record.

Times Higher Education, which analysed t...