Australia has unveiled a major overhaul of its temporary migration system, with international students facing tighter rules on bringing family members, extending their stay and switching courses.The changes are particularly significant for students from countries such as India, for whom Australia has long been a major overseas education destination. The new measures do not reduce the number of international students Australia can admit directly. But they target the family members accompanying students and the ways temporary visa holders extend their stay.Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke announced the measures on Thursday as the government seeks to bring net overseas migration down to 225,000 by 2027-28, from 292,000 in the year to March 2026.
Can you still take your spouse and children?
For most new international students, the answer will be noAustralia will stop allowing family members to be attached to most new student and graduate visas. However, there are important exceptions. Students from Pacific and ASEAN countries will retain certain family arrangements, while PhD students will also be able to bring their families.Students whose family members are already in Australia will not be affected by the new restriction. The government said it will not break up families already in the country. That means an Indian student planning to begin an undergraduate or other eligible course in Australia will need to factor the new family restrictions into the decision to study there.
No more ‘visa hopping’
The government is also moving against what it calls visa hopping where people repeatedly move between courses or visas to prolong their stay in Australia.Under the new approach, students seeking to renew their student visas will generally need to progress to a higher qualification rather than repeatedly enrolling in courses at the same or a lower level.There are exceptions for genuine circumstances, including students who need additional time because of serious circumstances or whose education provider has ceased operating.For Indian students, this means moving to Australia on one course with the expectation of repeatedly extending the stay through another course will become more difficult.
No more overstaying
The government is stepping up enforcement against people who remain in Australia after their visas expire. It plans to add 100 compliance officers.It is also introducing a ‘No Further Stay’ condition on visitor visas, meaning future visitors generally will not be able to use a visitor visa as a route to applying for another visa while remaining in Australia. Protection applications are treated separately.
Backpackers will also face the heat
The crackdown is not limited to students.Australia will introduce a ballot for working holiday makers seeking second- and third-year visas. The second-year ballot will be capped at 45,000 places, compared with 57,000 people who qualified last year. The third-year programme will be cut to 5,000 places, compared with 31,000 last year, with the UK treated differently because of its free-trade agreement with Australia.
Why is Australia doing this?
The Albanese government said the objective is to regain control over migration while responding to pressure on housing and infrastructure.Net overseas migration has already fallen sharply from its post-pandemic peak. The government said it is now targeting 245,000 this financial year and 225,000 in 2027-28.International education remains a major part of Australia’s economy. It contributed A$53.6 billion in the year to June 2025, making it Australia’s fourth-largest export, according to Reuters.
