Last Updated: 21 September 2026
The Australian Government has announced a major new round of migration policy changes, with updates affecting Working Holiday Makers, international students, Visitor Visa holders and skilled migrants.
Announced by Home Affairs and Immigration Minister Tony Burke on 17 September 2026, the changes form part of the government’s plan to bring Net Overseas Migration (NOM) down to the Budget forecast of 245,000 in 2026–27 and 225,000 in 2027–28.
Here are the key changes announced.
Major Changes to Working Holiday Visas
One of the biggest changes will affect people looking to stay in Australia for a second or third year under the Working Holiday Maker Program.
Currently, eligible Working Holiday Makers can qualify for additional years after completing specified regional work.
Under the new system, applicants will still need to complete the existing regional work requirements, but they will then need to enter a ballot for a limited number of places.
The Government has announced:
- Second-year Working Holiday Visa: Maximum of 45,000 places through the ballot, compared with approximately 57,000 people who qualified last year.
- Third-year Working Holiday Visa: Maximum of just 5,000 places, compared with approximately 31,000 last year.
- The existing requirement to complete 88 days of specified work for the second year and six months for the third year will remain.
This means completing the required regional work will no longer necessarily guarantee eligibility for another Working Holiday Visa.
The Government has also indicated that Working Holiday Maker processing times will be stabilised at approximately three months.
Note: UK nationals are not subject to the same regional work requirements for second and third Working Holiday Visas under the Australia–UK Free Trade Agreement. However, applications from UK nationals may continue to experience slower processing due to increased demand.
Changes to Family Members on Student and Graduate Visas
The Government will also restrict the ability of most new international students and Temporary Graduate Visa holders to include family members as secondary applicants.
Importantly, this will not affect families who are already in Australia under existing arrangements.
There will also be exceptions.
The Minister confirmed that special arrangements will continue for:
- Students from ASEAN countries
- Students from Pacific countries
- Certain higher-level courses, including PhD programs
This means students from countries such as Malaysia, Vietnam and other ASEAN nations are expected to continue to benefit from different arrangements, although further details will depend on the final implementation of the policy.
Student Visa Hopping Will Be Further Restricted
The Government is also tightening rules around students applying for additional Student Visas while already in Australia.
There are three main situations addressed by the announcement.
1. Genuine Course Extensions
Students who genuinely need additional time to complete their existing studies may still be able to extend their Student Visa.
Examples provided by the Minister included situations involving illness or where an education provider closes.
These arrangements are expected to remain largely unchanged.
2. Changing Courses
Students transferring to another course will generally be required to apply for a new Student Visa.
This will allow the Department of Home Affairs to reassess whether the new study arrangement is genuine before issuing another visa.
3. Further Study After Graduation
The Government will also target students repeatedly enrolling in additional or lower-level qualifications primarily to extend their stay in Australia.
Under the announced policy, students completing one qualification will generally be expected to progress upwards in qualification level.
For example:
Bachelor’s Degree → Master’s Degree: Generally acceptable.
However, completing a higher-level qualification and then moving down to lower-level courses simply to maintain a Student Visa is expected to become significantly more difficult.
No Further Stay Condition for Visitor Visas
A significant change has also been announced for future Visitor Visas.
The Government plans to introduce a No Further Stay condition on Visitor Visas, preventing most visitors from entering Australia and then applying for another substantive visa onshore in order to extend their stay.
The Minister confirmed that this change will apply to future Visitor Visas and will not retrospectively affect people who are already in Australia.
Protection Visa applications will also be treated separately.
For future visitors, this makes it increasingly important to select the appropriate visa before travelling to Australia rather than relying on changing visa types after arrival.
Skilled Migration Will Continue to Target Priority Industries
While several of the announced measures are designed to reduce temporary migration, Australia will continue prioritising skilled migrants in industries facing workforce shortages.
Ministerial Direction 119 will be updated to provide greater processing priority to sectors including:
- Construction
- Agriculture
- Fisheries
- Resources
- Teaching and education
The broader Government policy also identifies areas including healthcare, law enforcement and defence as priority sectors.
The skilled migration points test is also being redesigned.
Under the proposed changes, selected housing and construction trades will receive greater recognition under the points system, reflecting Australia’s demand for skilled workers to support housing construction.
Stronger Action Against Visa Overstayers
The Government will also increase compliance activity against people who remain in Australia without a valid visa.
The announced measures include:
- An additional 100 immigration compliance officers
- Approximately 250 additional detention places
- Greater resources focused on ensuring visa overstayers depart Australia when they no longer hold a valid visa
There will also be stronger action against migration agents who knowingly encourage applications without merit simply to extend a person’s stay in Australia.
What Do These Changes Mean for Visa Applicants?
The overall direction of Australia’s migration policy is becoming increasingly clear.
The Government is looking to reduce Net Overseas Migration while continuing to attract skilled workers Australia needs.
At the same time, temporary visa holders will face tighter rules around repeatedly extending their stay through different visa types.
The changes particularly target:
- Repeated Student Visa applications without genuine study progression
- Moving from Visitor Visas onto other visas after arriving in Australia
- Extended Working Holiday stays
- Visa overstaying
- Applications made primarily to prolong a person’s stay rather than for the intended purpose of the visa
However, this does not mean all of the announced changes are effective immediately.
The Department of Home Affairs has confirmed that implementation has commenced and the measures will be progressively introduced over the next 12 months.
Applicants should therefore check the rules applying at the time they submit their visa application.
Planning to Apply for or Extend Your Australian Visa?
With Australia’s migration policies continuing to change, understanding how the latest requirements apply to your individual circumstances is increasingly important.
Whether you are considering studying in Australia, applying for another Working Holiday Visa, visiting family, or exploring a skilled migration pathway, preparing your visa strategy early can help you understand your available options before the new rules take effect.
Our experienced migration agents and in-house migration lawyers can assess your circumstances and advise you on the visa pathways available based on the latest Australian migration requirements.
Contact us today to discuss your Australian visa options.
