On 17 September 2026, the Australian Government outlined the next stage of migration changes. The package is aimed at student visa integrity, working holiday stays beyond the first year, visitor visa conditions, and compliance with people who remain after a visa expires.
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Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke set out a package of integrity and control measures at the National Press Club. The government said the changes are designed to help deliver net overseas migration of 245,000 this financial year and 225,000 in 2027–28.
Officials described this as giving more control over demand-driven parts of the program. It is not a freeze on all student, working holiday or skilled visas, and existing visa holders still need to check their own conditions and commencement dates as instruments are rolled out.
To reduce "visa hopping", students who want to transfer courses are expected to apply for a new visa, and a new course will generally need to be at a higher qualification level. A bachelor's graduate, for example, could move to a master's course, but switching sideways or down would no longer be treated as a genuine study pathway.
Working holiday processing for schemes that require regional work is intended to return to a faster pace. The UK scheme, which has no regional work requirement, was excluded from that faster processing. Skilled settings were also flagged, including points-test recognition for construction trades and processing priorities for sectors such as construction, healthcare, agriculture, fisheries and teaching. Those skilled visa processing priorities now operate under Ministerial Directions 121 and 122.
Read the original report on the ABC News migration reform page. This update is general information only and is not immigration advice.
From 2 October 2026, most overseas students must complete 12 months of their principal course before transferring providers.
Most people can no longer apply for a Student visa while in Australia, and family members can usually no longer be included.
From 19 May 2026 to 19 May 2027, new CRICOS applications to ASQA for private VET and ELICOS providers and courses are paused.
From 5 October 2026, providers cannot enrol or commence new overseas students in BSB80120.
Home Affairs has paused first subclass 462 applications from most capped partner countries.
Speak with Ozreach if a student, working holiday, visitor or skilled pathway may be affected. This update is general information only and is not immigration advice.
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