Sydney, 13 Dec 2012: A dramatic decline in the number of Indian students coming to Australia has massively impacted the international education sector in the nation.

A data analysis by the immigration department shows the number of Indians studying in Australia dropped by 71 percent from 2007/08 to 2011/12.

Australian Council for Educational Research analysis also found there was also a downturn in the number of successful higher-education visa applicants from India, News.com.au reports.

According to the report, other major markets for Australian education also dropped over recent years, but none as dramatically as India.

Researcher Daniel Edwards said the international student market was lucrative and other countries had been making their presence felt in recent times.

“While Australia’s international student numbers are declining, key competitors in this market … have all experienced growth since 2009, suggesting there may be factors specific to Australia influencing this decline,” he said.

The analysis showed the number of Indian students heading to Canada had quadrupled in the same time it had dropped in Australia.

The big decline in numbers of Indian students coming to Australia “highlights the vulnerability of a system that relies so heavily on one or two major markets”, the report said.

But the analysis also said the most recent immigration data suggested a return to growth in the number of international students choosing to come to Australia, the report added.