Australia to tighten visa rules from October 31, with tougher character checks

Australia is set to tighten its visa refusal and cancellation rules from October 31, 2026, giving greater weight to public safety and less consideration to a person's ties to the country. The changes will place greater focus on domestic and family violence, hate-related offences and compliance with immigration laws, according to a report by Fragomen.

Under the revised approach, authorities will consider the risk a person poses to the Australian community when deciding whether to refuse or cancel a visa. The impact of such decisions on Australian businesses will carry less weight than before.

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The changes will also broaden the range of domestic and family violence behaviours and relationships considered during character assessments. Officials will pay greater attention to the effects on victims and children.

Focus on hate crimes, violence and drug offences

The revised rules specifically identify hate crimes, hate speech, incitement of violence and the promotion of racial disharmony as serious character concerns.

Certain serious drug and property offences will also receive greater attention. The government will place more emphasis on extremism and the spread of hatred when assessing whether a person meets Australia's character requirements.

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Visa decisions will also take greater account of compliance with migration laws. Authorities will consider whether a person is available for removal from Australia and whether visa conditions can be used to manage potential risks.

The changes signal a stricter approach to character-based visa decisions. A person's family, social or business connections in Australia will receive less weight when authorities assess whether allowing them to stay could pose a risk to the community.

The revised framework forms part of the Australian government's broader push for tighter immigration controls over the past year.