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Australian Government Announces Major Migration Reforms (Sep 2026)
On 17 September 2026, the Government announced significant changes to Australia's migration system. Below is a summary of the changes announced.
The starting date of these changes is still to be confirmed. It’s expected they will start at different times – some changes are only dependent on the Department of Home Affairs internal policy (easily changed), while others require the Government to change the legislation (Migration Regulations).
1. Restrictions on Student & Graduate Visa Dependents
What is known now: Most Student (subclass 500) and Temporary Graduate (subclass 485) visa holders will no longer be permitted to bring partners or children as secondary applicants. Limited exemptions apply to PhD candidates and passport holders from ASEAN and Pacific countries. Existing visa holders already in Australia with family attached are unaffected.
What is not known yet: The complete list of exemptions to this rule and the exact transitional rules for ongoing applications.
2. Mandatory "No Further Stay" Condition for Visitor Visas
What is known now: Future visitor visas will routinely carry a mandatory "No Further Stay" condition to stop visitors from applying for other visas while in Australia. Protection visa applications are an exception.
What is not known yet: If there will be any changes to the "No Further Stay" waiver criteria, and if the condition will also be applied to Subclasses 651 (eVisitor) and 601 (ETA’s).
3. Course-Hopping Crackdown for International Students
What is known now: Students will be barred from transferring to lower-level qualifications or repeatedly changing courses to extend onshore stay. Transfers will generally require moving to a higher qualification level (e.g., Bachelor's to Master's) or lodging a new visa application.
What is not known yet: Specific details about the assessment criteria for lateral transfers between equivalent AQF qualification levels or institution changes.
4. Skilled Migration Points Test Parity for Trade Qualifications
What is known now: Points awarded under the General Skilled Migration system (subclasses 189, 190, and 491) will give recognised trade qualifications (particularly in housing and construction) equal points weight to university degrees.
What is not known yet: The revised points table breakdown, eligible ANZSCO trade codes, and impact on existing Expressions of Interest (EOIs).
5. Working Holiday Maker (WHM) Visa Ballot Expansion & Lower Caps
What is known now: The ballot selection system will expand to cover 2nd and 3rd year Working Holiday Maker visas. Caps are being lowered to 45,000 places for year two (down from 57,000) and 5,000 places for year three (down from 31,000).
What is not known yet: Ballot registration dates, application fees, selection frequency, and country-specific quota allocations.
6. Expansion of Priority Visa Processing (Ministerial Direction 119)
What is known now: Ministerial Direction 119 is being updated to expand priority processing to construction, agriculture, fisheries, and teaching alongside healthcare and education sectors.
What is not known yet: How priority rankings will be balanced between onshore and offshore skilled visa applications.
7. Stronger Compliance for Visa Overstayers
What is known now: The government is expanding enforcement against unlawful non-citizens by funding approximately 100 additional compliance officers and 250 detention beds.
What is not known yet: The specific statutory penalty mechanisms and operational timeline for the compliance expansion.
