ELICOS Market Analysis: February 2022

ELICOS commencements fall by 27.3% February 2022 YTD
National ELICOS commencements for YTD February 2022 decreased by 27.3%, or 1,820 fewer students, compared to YTD February 2021. For enrolments, the figure decreased 45.6%, or 9,012 fewer students.      

Market performance highlights:

February 2022 YTD commencements from China declined by 46.2%.

YTD February commencements also fell for Brazil (down 54.7%), Columbia (also down 54.7%), South Korea (down 36.4%), Taiwan (down 32.2%).

February 2022 YTD commencements were only down by 15.8% for India, and down 6.4% for Japan. 

Commencements increased for Thailand (up 98%), and Vietnam (up 12.2%). 

Independent ELICOS-only visa lodgements eight times higher than in February 2021
Overall, student visa grants were up across all sectors by 60.3% (or 9,522) in February 2022, compared with February 2021. Student visa lodgements were up by 56.62% (or 12,861) for the same comparison period.

ELICOS only visa lodgements in February 2022 were eight times higher than in February 2021, with 4,174 total lodgements.

Independent ELICOS sector grants 
The Independent ELICOS sector grants were over six times higher in February 2022 compared with February 2021, with 2,379 visas granted for the month. Offshore grants for Independent ELICOS were up by 2,259 in February 2022, or over 39 times higher, compared to February 2021.

English Australia continues to liaise with the Department of Home Affairs on visa related matters. Please find some additional analysis and trends identified by our members based on the current February 2022 visa data:

Visas Granted from Top Source Countries for Independent ELICOS
Overall, 85% of visas lodged in 2021/2022 from source countries of Brazil, Chile, China, Columbia, South Korea, Mongolia, Thailand, and Turkey were granted. This is exactly the same percentage of visas granted in 2017/2018, and only 2% less than visas granted in 2018/2019 (pre-pandemic).

Based on a further analysis of top source country data, visas granted from citizens from Colombia and Chile are down versus standard pre-Covid performance in 2017/2018/2019, but the other countries are mostly on par with pre-Covid performance. Mongolia has varied greatly, but Thailand is up versus historic performance and Turkey is on par with past grant rates.

Independent ELICOS Grant Rate by Age Group in 2022
89% of 20-24 year old students who applied had their visas granted in 2022, which is the highest age group grant rate. The second highest is 15-19 year olds and 25-29 year olds both with 87% of visas granted, then 30-34 year olds with 82%, then 35-39 year olds with 79%, then under 15 year olds with 77%. The lowest age group grant rate is for 50-54 year olds with only 45% granted, and then 40-44 year olds, with only 62% of lodged visas being granted.

ELICOS market analysis: February 2022

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