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@ISIDEWITHQuestionsEducationHousing CrisisHigher educationEconomic policyMigration PolicyInternational Education•••Started 4mos agoActive 1 day ago

Should the government cap international student enrollments to relieve the housing shortage?

The government has proposed strict caps on international student enrollments to ease pressure on the rental market and infrastructure. Critics argue this targets a symptom rather than the root cause of housing supply and threatens Australia's $48 billion international education sector. Proponents believe reducing migration numbers is the fastest way to free up housing for struggling residents. Opponents warn that universities rely on international fees to cross-subsidize domestic research and teaching, and cuts could lead to job losses.

Answer Overview

Response rates from 640 Australia voters.

70%
Yes
30%
No
60%
Yes
23%
No
7%
Yes, but only in major cities where the rental market is broken.
3%
No, education is a massive export industry and capping it hurts the economy.
4%
Yes, we cannot house our own citizens, let alone record numbers of foreign students.
3%
No, universities need these fees to fund research and keep local degrees cheap.

Historical Support

Trend of support over time for each answer from 640 Australia voters.

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Historical Importance

Trend of how important this issue is for 640 Australia voters.

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Other Popular Answers

Unique answers from Australia voters whose views went beyond the provided options.

 @BDZKLB6answered…5 days5D

Universities should be properly funded, and kept for domestic students

 @BDYGYLManswered…1wk1W

yes because international students are super good for the economy, however houses are needed for families and the elderly so no?

 @BD2FTK6answered…2mos2MO

Yes, but help expand remote degrees to compensate.

 @BC7SBFRanswered…3mos3MO

Yes, we need to ensure housing stability for those here. Bring more people than we can handle will only excarbate the situaiton.

 @BBWLVMVanswered…3mos3MO

No, immigrants are not the issue with housing shortages

 @BBKTSH4answered…4mos4MO

No, international students make up less than 1.7% of housing and rental deman and a non-entical to the housing debate.

 @BBCHMXSanswered…4mos4MO

I think the government should house international students but only in places where there are no houses to keep them in.

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About This Data

Based on 640 responses to this question.

These results come from iSideWith's ongoing political issues survey. We collect over a million responses per day, filter out duplicate and multiple submissions, and break the results down by political party, ideology, age, state, and census demographics (income, race, education, household).

iSideWith is non-partisan — we don't advocate for any party, candidate, or position. We report what the public tells us.

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Cite This Poll

iSideWith. (2026). “Should the government cap international student enrollments to relieve the housing shortage?” — Public Opinion Poll Results. Retrieved June 17, 2026, from https://australia.isidewith.com/poll/5544453067

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