The Australian government's proposal to cap international student numbers at 270,000 annually by 2025 has hit a significant roadblock, with opposition parties refusing to support the legislation. The plan, introduced by the center-left Labor government, aimed to manage soaring immigration numbers amidst a housing crisis ahead of a federal election due by May.

Chaotic and confusing" has been the description given to the legislation ahead for debate during the final parliamentary sessions of the year by Sarah Henderson, education spokesperson for the center-right Liberal-National coalition, according to economic times.

Henderson said in a statement, “We cannot support measures which will only serve to compound this crisis of the government’s making. Based on their record so far, we have absolutely no confidence the government is capable of fixing its immigration mess.” 

The Greens Party has also opposed the bill, which means the government does not have enough numbers to pass this bill in the Senate. Previously, the Leader of the Opposition Peter Dutton had proposed the idea of reducing the net international migration to 160,000 annually without giving any details on how to achieve that figure.

A proposed capping of international student commencements would reverse that trend to pre-pandemic levels; the government believes it is a necessary step toward stabilising migration trends. However, Education Minister Jason Clare accused the opposition of inconsistency, saying, "You can't talk tough on immigration and then vote against putting a limit on the number of people that come to this country every year.”

Universities Australia has criticised the debate, and Chief Executive Officer Luke Sheehy has urged an end to what he defined as a "phony war" blaming international students for migration and housing challenges. He insisted that bipartisan support is required to strengthen a university sector 'heavily reliant on revenue' from international students, as reported by economic times.