Over the weekend, Australians re-elected Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and the Labor Party in a landslide victory.
The party has campaigned on promises to improve healthcare, reduce the cost of living and make education more accessible, among others – many of which could affect your life as an international student in Australia.
Here’s a guide to what the new government is planning, and what it might mean for you.
Who are the Labor party?
The Australian Labor Party, often just called ‘Labor’, is one of the country’s two major political parties (the other being the Liberal Party, or the Coalition). Traditionally centre-left, Labor generally aims to focus on making life more affordable, improving public services like health and education, supporting workers’ rights, and reducing inequality. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has led the party since 2019, and this is Labor’s second consecutive term in government under his leadership.
Healthcare
Labor has promised to improve access to healthcare by investing $8.5 billion in Medicare. This includes more bulk-billing (which means fewer out-of-pocket costs when seeing a doctor), better access to telehealth, and more support for women’s health services. This should make it easier and cheaper to visit a doctor and access basic health care, particularly in regional and lower-income communities. Less pressure on the health system might also mean shorter wait times at clinics or hospitals, even for those using private health cover, such as international students with Overseas Student Health Cover.
Education
Most of Labor’s education policies are aimed at domestic students, focusing on making education more accessible and affordable. For example, the government plans to reduce student debt by 20% and raise the income threshold for student loan repayments, so graduates will have more time before needing to pay it back.
Cost of living
The rising cost of everyday living is a major issue in Australia. To address this, Labor’s policies include a $150 energy rebate for every household, protecting penalty rates for workers on casual contracts, as well as tax cuts starting from 2026. These policies are intended to make everyday living more affordable, especially for low and middle-income earners.
Housing
Housing affordability is one of Labor’s top priorities. Their $43 billion Homes for Australia Plan aims to build 100,000 new homes for first home buyers over the next five years, increasing investment in social and affordable housing and allowing first home buyers to purchase a home with a deposit as small as 5%.
What does this mean for international students?
As an international student living in Australia, you may benefit from Labor’s policies regarding the cost of living and healthcare. However, new international students may be faced with an increase in visa fees.
As announced in late April 2025, Labor announced that, if re-elected, visa fees would increase from $1,600 to $2,000. This, however, was less than the opposition’s proposed visa fee increase.
While this change has not yet come into effect, it’s important to stay up-to-date with information regarding student visas on the Department of Home Affairs website.
