Australia has introduced new measures to strengthen immigration controls, affecting international students, “visa hoppers,” and backpackers. Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke announced these changes on Thursday, stating that foreign students will no longer be allowed to bring family members with them. Those seeking to extend their stay must pursue a higher qualification.
The rules for working holiday visas will also become stricter, although these changes will not impact British nationals. A ballot system will cap the number of those eligible for second and third years of their working holiday visas, reducing the cap from 57,000 to 45,000 for the second year, and from 31,000 to 5,000 for the third.
Burke emphasised the importance of maintaining a “high level of control” while acknowledging immigration as a strength of Australia. He explained that the crackdown on “visa hopping” involves preventing students from enrolling in lower-quality courses after completing a qualification. However, students progressing to a master’s degree after a bachelor’s will still be permitted.
Exemptions will apply for current foreign students in Australia and those from certain Pacific and Southeast Asian countries. PhD students will also retain the right to bring family members.
The Australian population grew by 1.4% in the year leading up to March 2026, reaching 27.9 million, fuelled by a net overseas migration of 292,100. The growing population has stirred political debate amid concerns about living costs and public services.
One Nation, a right-wing party, proposed drastic reductions in temporary migrant visas, aiming to cut them by 750,000 over three years and cap net migration at 130,000. This plan faced criticism from Burke, who warned it could harm the economy.
The government has prioritised family visa applications from those already in Australia over those submitted from abroad and has also paused applications for working holiday visas from 24 countries, excluding the UK. Violet Roumeliotis from Settlement Services International stated that these migration discussions often reflect short-term political aims rather than long-term national interests, particularly regarding competition for talent.
