Australia has announced a new package of migration changes covering international students and graduates, Visitor visas, skilled migration, Working Holiday visas and people who remain in the country after their visa has expired.
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke outlined the Australian immigration changes at the National Press Club on 17 September 2026. The government says the measures are intended to give it greater control over who arrives in Australia, who stays and who leaves, while continuing to prioritise migration in areas where workers are needed.
The announcement comes as net overseas migration is already falling. Australian Bureau of Statistics figures released on the same day show net overseas migration was 292,100 in the year ending March 2026, down 5.6% from the previous year. The government says the latest changes are intended to support its Budget forecasts of 245,000 net overseas migrants in 2026–27 and 225,000 in 2027–28.
Australia's Population Growth and Net Overseas Migration
Annual population change, March 2016 to March 2026
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Source: ABS
Latest Update (2 October 2026): Several migration changes announced in September have now taken effect. Ministerial Directions 121 and 122 introduced new skilled visa processing priorities on 19 September 2026, replacing MD119. From 2 October, new Student visa rules restricted most existing Student visa holders from applying for another Student visa while in Australia, tightened family inclusion requirements, removed Student visa subsequent-entrant applications and temporarily increased the education provider-transfer restriction to 12 months for most non-school students. Other measures announced in September are still awaiting implementation. Read our October Student visa changes guide for more details.
What Migration Changes Did the Australian Government Announce?
The package does not create one new migration rule. Instead, it changes several parts of the temporary and skilled migration system, with some measures likely to have a much bigger effect on particular applicants than others.
Family Members on Student and Graduate Visas
The restrictions on including family members in Student visa applications took effect on 2 October 2026. Most applicants can no longer include their partner or dependent children unless they meet a specific exemption. Where family inclusion is permitted, family members must apply at the same time and from the same location as the primary applicant. They cannot apply later as Student visa subsequent entrants.
Exemptions cover certain applicants, including doctoral students, eligible Pacific and ASEAN nationals, government-sponsored students and some families covered by transitional arrangements. Existing families are not automatically separated by the changes, but being included in a further Student visa application still depends on meeting the relevant requirements.
The government has also announced similar restrictions for Temporary Graduate visa holders. However, the current Home Affairs subclass 485 guidance still describes subsequent-entrant arrangements for eligible family members. Applicants should check the specific rules applying to their visa rather than assuming the Student and Graduate visa settings are identical.
New Rules Around Course Progression and “Visa Hopping”
The government has introduced new restrictions on applying for another Student visa while in Australia. Since 2 October 2026, most existing Student visa holders must apply from outside Australia unless they meet a specific exemption. Some students progressing to a higher qualification may qualify to apply onshore, but the conditions depend on their existing course and proposed study.
There is also a separate change for students transferring between education providers. From 2 October 2026 to 30 June 2027, most non-school students are restricted from transferring before completing 12 months of their principal course, unless an exception applies. The restriction was previously six months. The government has also announced a new Student visa transfer stream from 1 July 2027.
Changing courses at the same institution and transferring to a different provider are not necessarily governed by the same rules. For details, see our guides to changing courses on a Student visa and changing education providers in Australia.
No Further Stay Conditions on Future Visitor Visas
Future Visitor visas are expected to carry a No Further Stay condition under the new policy. These conditions can restrict a visa holder from applying for other visas while remaining in Australia. Currently, they are attached only to some Visitor visas rather than every visa.
Burke said the change would apply to future visas and would not retrospectively change visas already held by people in Australia. Further details are still needed on commencement dates, affected subclasses and how existing waivers will operate.
Skilled Migration Priorities and the Points Test
Skilled visa processing priorities have now changed. Ministerial Directions 121 and 122 came into effect on 19 September 2026, replacing the processing priorities under Ministerial Direction 119. MD121 covers Subclass 482 visa applications, while MD122 covers specified provisional and permanent skilled visas. Relevant applications lodged before 19 September that had not been finally decided are also subject to the new priorities.
Applications linked to construction, healthcare, teaching, agriculture, aquaculture, fishing, resources, law enforcement and defence now receive the highest processing priority. A separate points-test change for housing trade qualifications has not yet been implemented, so current points calculations remain unchanged for now.
Working Holiday Visas
Access to second and third Working Holiday Maker visas is also expected to change. Under the announced system, completing the required regional or specified work would make an applicant eligible to enter a ballot rather than automatically progressing to another Working Holiday visa.
The government plans to make 45,000 places available for second-year visas and 5,000 for third-year visas. UK passport holders will continue to have separate arrangements under the Australia-UK Free Trade Agreement.
More Action Against Visa Overstayers
The government also announced stronger compliance measures aimed at people who remain in Australia without a valid visa.
These include another 100 compliance officers and 250 detention places. Burke also said the migration agent code would be changed so agents who encourage non-meritorious protection claims could face sanctions or deregistration. The government will also update Ministerial Direction 110, which guides visa cancellation and refusal decisions on character grounds, with changes relating to child victims of crime, family violence and hate-related conduct.
For most visa applicants, these enforcement measures are less immediately relevant than the changes to Student, Visitor, skilled and Working Holiday visas.
Why Is the Government Making These Changes?
The government's stated objective is to bring net overseas migration down without applying the same restrictions across every part of the migration system.
Burke argued that parts of Australia's migration system have historically been demand-driven, meaning employers could seek workers and education providers could attract international students according to demand. The government now wants more control over those numbers while continuing to bring in workers where there are shortages.
Housing is also part of the government's reasoning. Burke did not argue that migration had caused Australia's housing shortage. Instead, he said migration needed to slow enough to give housing supply more time to catch up, while Australia continued to attract construction workers and other skills needed to increase that supply.
The other major focus is what the government describes as visa hopping. The policy is aimed at people repeatedly using temporary visas, course enrolments or other applications mainly to prolong their stay without moving towards the purpose for which those pathways were designed.
At the same time, the government has expressly distinguished that behaviour from recognised pathways where an international student graduates, moves into skilled work and later qualifies for permanent migration.
How Could the September 2026 Migration Changes Affect You?
The effect depends less on whether you are simply inside or outside Australia today and more on what your next visa step is.
Someone who already holds a valid visa may see little immediate change to their day-to-day situation. The bigger impact may come when they apply for another visa, add a family member, continue studying, seek another year on a Working Holiday visa or move onto a different migration pathway.
If You Are Already Studying in Australia
The changes introduced on 2 October 2026 do not automatically cancel an existing Student visa. However, they can affect what happens when you need another visa, particularly if you want to extend your studies, enrol in another course or include family members in a new application.
Most existing Student visa holders now need to apply for another Student visa from outside Australia unless they meet an exemption. These include certain students needing more time to complete their course, eligible course progression, doctoral and school students, government-sponsored students and some students affected by provider default. The conditions differ between exemptions, so completing one course and enrolling in another does not automatically make you eligible to apply onshore.
If you are planning further study, our guide on applying for another Student visa while in Australia explains the main restrictions and exceptions.
If You Plan to Apply for a Student Visa With Your Family
The family restrictions announced in September are now in force. From 2 October 2026, most Student visa applicants cannot include a partner or dependent children unless they qualify under a permitted category.
Some exemptions apply, including for eligible doctoral students, government-sponsored students, certain Pacific and ASEAN nationals, and families covered by transitional arrangements. Applicants who qualify must include eligible family members at the same time and from the same location as the primary applicant.
The ability to bring family members later through a separate Student visa subsequent-entrant application has been removed. If studying in Australia depends on bringing your family, check whether you meet a specific exemption before making travel, financial or enrolment commitments.
If You Are Finishing Your Studies and Planning Your Next Visa
The announcement does not close the door on genuine post-study migration pathways. A Student visa holder who qualifies for a Temporary Graduate visa, finds skilled work and later becomes eligible for employer sponsorship or permanent migration is following the type of pathway the government said it still wants the system to support.
The government has also announced changes affecting family members of Temporary Graduate visa holders. However, Home Affairs' published subclass 485 guidance still describes arrangements for eligible family members to apply as subsequent entrants. Check the rules applying to your particular visa stream before assuming the Student visa restrictions also apply to your Graduate visa application.
If You Plan to Come to Australia on a Visitor Visa
People considering a Visitor visa as a starting point for another visa should distinguish between the changes already in force and those still proposed. Since 2 October 2026, holders of Visitor visas (subclass 600), Electronic Travel Authority visas (subclass 601) and eVisitor visas (subclass 651) cannot apply for a Student visa while in Australia. The broader proposal to attach No Further Stay conditions to future Visitor visas is a separate measure.
If the announced policy is implemented as described, future Visitor visas will generally prevent the holder from using the visa as a starting point for many further onshore visa applications. Existing Home Affairs rules allow limited waivers of No Further Stay conditions, but the government has not yet published enough detail to say whether those waiver arrangements will remain exactly the same under the new settings.
But on a positive note note, the government also expects the change to make it easier to grant some genuine Visitor visas, including for offshore partners who want to visit Australia while waiting for a Partner visa decision.
If You Are a Skilled Migrant or Work in a Housing Trade
For skilled applicants, one part of the announcement is now in force. If your visa application falls under MD121 or MD122 and your occupation is in one of the priority sectors, it may be processed ahead of lower-priority applications. The new Directions also apply to relevant applications that were already lodged but had not been finally decided by 19 September.
This does not change the eligibility requirements for the visa or guarantee a faster decision. The separate points-test change for housing trades is still pending, so do not add extra points to your EOI or migration planning until the new points rules are formally published.
If You Are on a Working Holiday Visa
Completing regional work may no longer be enough on its own to secure a second or third Working Holiday visa.
Under the announced system, eligible applicants would first need to meet the relevant work requirements and then compete for a place through a ballot. That introduces an element of uncertainty for people planning their second or third year around the assumption that completing the required work will lead to another visa.
UK passport holders remain subject to different arrangements because of the Australia-UK Free Trade Agreement.
What Has Not Been Confirmed Yet?
Several measures announced on 17 September 2026 have now taken effect. Ministerial Directions 121 and 122 introduced new skilled visa processing priorities on 19 September. The Student visa restrictions on onshore applications and family inclusion followed on 2 October, along with the temporary 12-month education provider-transfer restriction.
Other measures still require further implementation details. These include the proposed No Further Stay settings for future Visitor visas, Working Holiday Maker ballots, changes to the skilled migration points test and the announced Student visa transfer stream scheduled for July 2027. Applicants should check the rules applying to their particular visa rather than assuming the whole September package commenced together.
What Should You Do Now?
If you already hold an Australian visa, there is no reason to assume that every condition on your current visa changed on 17 September. Check the conditions attached to your own visa and pay particular attention to the rules that will apply when you make your next application.
If you plan to apply for another Student visa, bring family members or change education providers, check the rules introduced on 2 October before making your next move. For Visitor visas, Working Holiday Maker visas and skilled migration points, some announced changes are still awaiting implementation. Skilled visa applicants should also check how MD121 or MD122 applies to their visa subclass and occupation.
If your plans depend on one of these announced changes, you can speak with a Registered Migration Agent at Knowbal about how the current rules apply to your circumstances and what to check before making your next visa decision.
FAQs
What should I do if I have already made plans based on the old visa rules?
Start by checking which changes have already taken effect and whether any transitional arrangements apply to you. The Student visa changes introduced on 2 October 2026 may affect planned applications, family inclusion and provider transfers, while other measures announced in September are still awaiting implementation. Before changing your enrolment, travel or visa plans, check the rules relevant to your circumstances rather than relying on the original announcement.
Could a visa application lodged before the new rules start still be assessed under the old rules?
Yes, in some circumstances. Home Affairs has confirmed that Student visa applications lodged before 2 October 2026, including applications with family members, continue to be assessed under the rules that applied when they were lodged. Skilled visa processing is different: MD121 and MD122 apply to relevant applications that had not been finally decided when the Directions commenced on 19 September 2026. Other changes may have different transitional arrangements, so check the rules for the specific measure affecting your application.
Do these changes also affect state and territory skilled nomination programs?
Ministerial Direction 122 now sets federal processing priorities for Subclass 190 and 491 visa applications, but it does not change the nomination criteria or invitation settings used by individual states and territories. If you are considering a subclass 190 or 491 visa, continue checking the requirements and updates published by the state or territory you want to apply through, as those programs can have their own criteria and invitation settings.
How can I tell when one of these announced migration changes has actually become law or policy?
Look for updated information from the Department of Home Affairs and, where relevant, new legislative instruments, Ministerial Directions or official program guidance. A government announcement explains what is planned, but the final rules may include extra details, exceptions or different start dates.
Could more than one of these changes affect the same person?
Yes. For example, a former international student could later be affected by Graduate visa family rules, skilled migration priorities and a revised points test. A Visitor visa holder may also be affected by future onshore application restrictions. It is better to look at your full migration pathway rather than assessing each announcement in isolation.
