CANBERRA: Australia will prevent most international students from bringing their partners and children while they study and introduce stricter rules for working holiday visas, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said on Thursday.
The measures come as immigration becomes a growing political issue, with net migration remaining above pre-pandemic levels.
Burke rejected suggestions that the changes were driven by the hard-right One Nation party, which has gained support in recent opinion polls and this week called for a 750,000 reduction in temporary migration over three years.
“It’s simply demonstrably wrong to suspect that somehow this is a recent bit of work done to deal with a political climate,” Burke told reporters.
The government expects the measures to reduce annual net migration to about 225,000 by 2028, from around 300,000 currently. Immigration and the cost of living have remained among voters’ main concerns in recent polls.
Australia will also step up enforcement against people who overstay their visas. The government plans to hire 100 additional compliance officers and is considering using a former pandemic quarantine facility in Melbourne to house immigration detainees.
“If you want to come on a temporary basis to Australia, apply for a temporary visa,” Burke said. “If you want to come to Australia permanently, apply for a permanent visa.”
Stricter rules for students and backpackers
The reforms will introduce a ballot system for backpackers seeking to extend their working holiday visas.
Visitor visas will also carry a “no further stay” condition, preventing holders from remaining in Australia while seeking to switch to another visa category, such as a partner visa.
Most international students will no longer be able to bring partners or children to Australia. Exceptions will apply to some students from Pacific Island nations and Southeast Asia.
International students seeking to renew their visas will generally have to move to a higher qualification level.
International education generated A$53.6 billion ($38 billion) for Australia in the year to June 2025, making it the country’s fourth-largest export.
Universities Australia CEO Luke Sheehy said the proposed changes could undermine confidence in the international education sector.
Australia tightened student visa rules after migration surged when the country reopened its borders in February 2022 following almost two years of COVID-19 restrictions.
Net overseas migration reached a peak of 518,000 in 2023 before falling to 306,000 in the year to June 30, 2025. International students accounted for more than half of the latest figure.
