The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has released findings that show one in five tertiary education students were international students as of 2009.

 

In 2010-11, 20% of all student visa applications granted were from China and twelve percent were from India. 

The international education sector is important, not only to Australian society, but also to the country's economy, with onshore education services contributing $16.3 billion in 2010-11. Australia was the third largest provider of international education in 2009, behind the U.S and the U.K 

 

Almost half (43%) of international student visa applications in 2010–11 were within the higher education sector, and more than a quarter (30%) were for the Vocational Education and Training (VET) sector.

Declines in student visa applications were most prominent in the VET sector, which after considerable growth between 2006–07 and 2008–09 (up 150%), declined by more than a third (37%) between 2008–09 and 2010–11.

 

More information can be found here