International student visa applications to Australia have plunged by more than a third with growing fears the sector will take up to five years to recover.

Federal government figures reveal student visa applications from China are down by 20 per cent and 33.5 per cent overall for the 2019-2020 financial year. Applications from Nepal dropped 61 per cent and those from India by 47 per cent, putting further pressure on Australia's $40 billion a year international student sector amid COVID-19 restrictions.
 

Sydney's major universities have warned state and federal governments must commit to a pilot scheme for international students from September to protect next year's planned intake and the billions of dollars in revenue for the sector and the state.

A trial program to establish a safe corridor for overseas students is now on the backburner, NSW government sources told The Sun-Herald, because of the dire coronavirus situation in Victoria, the repatriation of Australian citizens and pressure on the hotel quarantine system.