Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke unveiled a suite of tighter migration rules on Thursday, targeting international students, so‑called “visa hoppers,” and backpackers on working holiday visas. The measures are part of a broader government effort to bring net overseas migration down to 225,000 people by 2028.
Policy changes for international students
Under the new rules, foreign students will no longer be able to automatically bring family members to Australia. Burke said, "We will no longer be adding to the stock of students automatically being able to bring family members over." Exemptions remain for students already in the country and for applicants from Pacific and Southeast Asian nations. PhD candidates retain the ability to bring families, reflecting their distinct life circumstances.
The government also plans to curb “visa hopping,” where a student completes a course and then enrolls in a lower‑level program, often with a questionable provider. Students wishing to “go up the scale” – for example, moving from a bachelor’s degree to a master’s – will be permitted to do so.
Working holiday visa adjustments
For backpackers aged 18 to 30, the pathway to a second and third year in Australia will now involve a ballot system. The cap for the second‑year ballot is set at 45,000 places, down from 57,000 the previous year, while the third‑year ballot will be limited to 5,000 spots, a sharp reduction from 31,000.
British working holidaymakers are exempt from these changes due to the United Kingdom‑Australia free‑trade agreement.
Political context
Migration remains a contentious issue in Australian politics. The right‑wing One Nation party recently proposed cutting temporary migrant visas by 750,000 over three years and capping net overseas immigration at 130,000. Burke warned such proposals could "smash parts of the Australian economy."
Earlier in the year, the government introduced policies prioritising on‑shore family visa applications and pausing working holiday visas from 24 countries (excluding the UK).
Potential impacts
- Family cohesion: Restrictions on family accompaniment may deter prospective students and affect existing student communities.
- Labor supply: The tighter working holiday visa regime could tighten the seasonal labor pool that underpins Australia’s agricultural sector.
- Talent competition: Settlement Services International’s Violet Roumeliotis warned the changes could make it harder for Australia to attract future talent.
Australian Bureau of Statistics data released on Thursday showed the nation’s population grew 1.4% to 27.9 million in the year to March 2026, driven in part by a net overseas migration of 292,100 people.