Australia Introduces New Student Visa Restrictions, Affects Dependants and Onshore Applicants
- Australia's immigration minister confirmed sweeping new student visa restrictions took effect on October 2, affecting dependants and course transfers
- Most international students can no longer bring family members to Australia, with only a narrow group of exemptions now permitted
- Industry figures have pushed back hard against the changes, warning the government has no long-term strategy for the international education sector
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Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over 9 years of experience covering migration issues and international affairs.
Canberra, Australia - Australia has introduced major changes to its student visa system.
As reported by The PIE News, Immigration Minister Hill confirmed that most of the new rules took effect on Friday, October 2, during a speech at the National Migration Conference.
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Australia restricts student visa dependants
Under the updated rules, international students can only bring dependent family members to Australia in limited circumstances. The permitted groups include PhD students, recipients of Australian or foreign government scholarships, and students from ASEAN or Pacific Island nations. All secondary dependants must be included in the initial student visa application, as no additions will be allowed once a visa has been granted.
"No students will be permitted to add subsequent entrants after their initial visa is granted," Hill said.
Families already living in Australia will not be affected, with the government confirming a grandfathering arrangement to protect existing arrangements.
"The government is not in the business of breaking up families already here," Hill added.
The same restrictions will apply to Temporary Graduate visa holders.
Australia tightens onshore student visa rules
Hill outlined three ways a student can alter their course after starting their principal studies: applying for a visa extension due to illness, failure, or provider collapse; transferring onshore; or, after completing a course, applying for a new student visa to study a higher-level qualification within the Australian Qualifications Framework. Applications to move from higher education into higher vocational education and training (VET) courses onshore will be explicitly blocked.
From July 1, 2027, a dedicated visa transfer stream will require students who want to switch providers to have studied at their original institution for at least six months. Until that stream opens, students cannot transfer within their first 12 months. The new visa under this stream will keep the same expiry date as the original, which Hill said would close off the practice of students abandoning an initial course for a cheaper provider.
The government also closed pathways that previously allowed people on working holiday maker, training, and temporary employer visas to apply for a student visa while onshore.
Australia targets migration with new rules
Hill said net overseas migration had already dropped by close to 50% from its post-Covid peak but that further reductions were needed to meet budget forecasts and ease pressure on housing. On working holiday makers, he said around 215,000 are currently in Australia, roughly 95,000 more than before the pandemic, and the government wants to bring that figure down to around 200,000.
Not everyone in the international education sector has welcomed the direction of travel. Ian Pratt, managing director of Lexis English, described the latest measures as "yet another crashing blow" for VET and criticised what he called a lack of coherent policy. "This is not how competent government manages a major export industry. There is no plan, no long-term strategy and no stable destination," he said.
Hill maintained that Australia remains open to genuine international students but insisted the government would continue to manage the size and composition of the student market.
See below an X post concerning Australia’s introduction of the new student visa rules:
Australia makes special announcement
Meanwhile, Legit.ng recently reported that Australia had announced changes affecting international students, skilled workers, tourists and Working Holiday Makers.
The changes include tighter rules for students switching to lower-level courses, expanded priority sectors for skilled visa processing, new limits for Working Holiday visas and a proposed "No Further Stay" condition for visitor visa holders.
Source: Legit.ng
