An investigation from the University of South Australia published in January of this year has concluded that international students are not to blame for rising rents and the ever-looming national housing crisis.

Government data, including the changes in rent prices and the level of international students nationally from the Australian Bureau of Statistics between 2017 and 2024, was scrutinised at 76 different time points. The research specifically focuses on pre and post-COVID analysis, and demonstrates that fluctuations in international student numbers did not correlate with rises in overall rent costs. 

Only four percent of Australia’s rental properties are inhabited by foreign students.

The report emphasised that institutions should not be “scapegoating international students for the rental crisis”.

The findings sit amongst a recent political context where housing and international students have been seen as a major policy issue, in combination with the ongoing high cost of living. Recently, the Liberal/National Coalition promised to cap international student enrollments at 240,000 per year, 30,000 fewer than the Labor Government’s proposal in 2024. This is contrasted by the Greens’ policy to scrap international student limits.

Across campus, Woroni interviewed some international students about their feelings on the subject. 

Students were asked how they feel about being blamed for the housing crisis. When asked, the International Student Representative, Seungbin Kang stated, “A lot of international students are on campus, and they feel unsupported when they move off campus. No international students are buying houses — most of them struggle to get by day to day. Nice people on campus see through the government’s messaging. But step outside and you can see the difference in the way people act towards you and how surprised they are when [they learn] you are from overseas.”

Another student stated, “I have seen a lot of rude posts online about how international students should go back. It’s disheartening. It’s quite tricky finding a place off campus. Real estate agents are not willing to rent to international students that much; it took one month to find my current place.”

A third-year BNG student commented on the changing of stigma nationwide, “Maybe if the economy improves, people will stop blaming us. I feel like after COVID, the sentiment in society has gotten more and more negative about international students. People just think we are taking jobs away from them, and this trend will continue on for a while. I feel sorry for new international students.”

Some students expressed that the report’s results will likely not change perceptions, with one student stating, “people who are set in their ways will still continue to blame international students”.

Students interviewed spoke of still feeling a significant disconnect between current and past political messaging, and their establishment in Australia. It remains to be seen if federal policy changes will be able to affect that.