Australia bans most international students from bringing family members

Australia will restrict international students from bringing family members on their student visas under a migration reform package announced by the federal government on Thursday.

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said the changes were part of a broader effort to reduce net overseas migration, strengthen visa compliance and ensure that the migration system supports Australia’s economic needs. The government said net overseas migration had fallen by 47% from its post-pandemic peak to 292,000.

The government is targeting net overseas migration of 245,000 in the current financial year and 225,000 in 2027-28. The official media release said the reforms would give Australia more control over “who arrives, who stays and who leaves.”

Family members to face restrictions

The government said it would restrict secondary applicants on most student visas. Secondary applicants include family members such as spouses and children.

Burke said students already in Australia with their families would not be forced to separate from them. “We’re not going to be breaking up families onshore,” he said.

The government is expected to make exceptions for students enrolled in PhD programs and for nationals of South-East Asian and Pacific countries. The detailed rules for these exemptions have not yet been published in the government’s media release.

The changes are expected to apply to future applicants. Existing arrangements for students and family members already in Australia are not expected to be affected.

Government also targets ‘visa hopping’

The reform package will also prevent international students from moving between courses to extend their stay or shift to a lower qualification.

Students who want to transfer between courses will have to apply for a new visa. The government said the change would address “visa hopping” and improve the integrity of the student visa system.

Burke said students would be allowed to move only upwards through the qualification system. “You can [only] go up the qualification scale,” he said, according to Times Higher Education.

The government also plans to strengthen compliance measures against people who remain in Australia without valid visas.

Working holiday and visitor visa changes

The package includes changes to the Working Holiday Maker programme.

The government will introduce a ballot system for second- and third-year working holiday visas in countries where demand is high. Applicants will also face a regional work requirement.

The government said it would work to keep processing times for Working Holiday Maker applications to three months.

Visitor visas will also carry a No Further Stay condition. The government said this would ensure visitors use the visa for genuine visits rather than as a route to extending their stay in Australia.

Universities warn of damage to education sector

Universities and international education groups have criticised the restrictions on family members.

International education contributes about A$55 billion to Australia’s economy and is the country’s fourth-largest export industry.

Industry representatives said the changes could make Australia less attractive to international students, particularly those from South Asia who may depend on a spouse’s income while studying.

Universities Australia chief executive Luke Sheehy said Australia should compete for international students and the skills, investment and ideas they bring.

The Group of Eight universities warned that political parties were engaged in a “race to the bottom” that could damage the country’s international education sector.

Regional universities also raised concerns about the impact on local economies. Chris Moran, chair of the Regional Universities Network, said regional communities could face direct effects if international student numbers fall.

Government says reforms are not political response

Burke said the changes had been under consideration for a long time and were not introduced in response to recent political pressure over immigration.

The government said the reforms would focus on attracting workers in sectors including healthcare, construction, education, law enforcement, defence, resources, agriculture, aquaculture and fishing.

It will also update migration rules on visa processing priorities, the skilled migration points test and the treatment of visa overstayers.

Burke said the government supported immigration but opposed people who tried to exploit the system. “Almost everyone who comes to Australia is a good guest in our country. These reforms are to ensure that our migration system can be better targeted to the current needs of Australia,” he said.