Australia's new migration changes explained: What they mean for international students and graduates

On Thursday 17 September 2026, Australia's Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke announced a major package of migration reforms at the National Press Club in Canberra. These changes will affect international students, graduates, working holiday makers, and visitors. 

Here is the most important thing to understand first: these are policy announcements, not laws yet.

The government has said the legal changes and supporting documents will be released soon. Nothing has changed today. But the direction is very clear, and it is smart to understand it now so you can plan ahead. 

Let’s walk through what was announced and what it means for you. 

The government wants to stop what it calls "visa hopping". 

This does not mean the normal path of moving from a student visa to a graduate visa, then to a work visa or permanent residence. That path is still supported. 

Visa hopping means moving between temporary visas with no clear direction, just to stay in Australia longer. 

The practical change for students: you will no longer be able to enrol in a course at a lower level than the qualification you already hold.  

For example, if you studied a Bachelor degree, you will not be able to get a new student visa for a Diploma or Certificate course. Moving upwards is fine, and it will be the expected path. Certificate to Diploma, Bachelor to Masters, Masters to PhD. 

One detail is still unclear: the Minister did not say whether this applies only to qualifications gained in Australia or also to qualifications from your home country. We will know when the rules are published.

Keep your options open with IELTS

Regardless of where you are in your study pathway, IELTS remains an important requirement.

Sometimes, the IELTS scores you need as you move from a lower to a higher course might be the same.

For example, you may be able to use the same result when moving from a diploma to a bachelor’s (usually an overall IELTS score of 6), as long as your test is still valid.

And the good news? IELTS is recognised by 13,500+ organisations worldwide, giving you flexibility as your study and migration plans progress. 

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This is the biggest change for students. 

The government announced it will stop secondary applicants from being included in most new Student visa (subclass 500) applications. 

A secondary applicant means a family member, such as a partner or child, included in your visa application. 

Some important details from the announcement: 

• This will apply to future applications. If you and your family already hold visas in Australia, this change does not affect you. 

• Exceptions were announced for applicants from Pacific Island nations, ASEAN member countries, and PhD students. 

• Students already in Australia who have a partner overseas will not be able to bring them later as a "subsequent entrant". A subsequent entrant is a family member who applies to join a visa holder after the main visa is granted. This pathway is set to close for new applications. 

Important: The Minister also indicated in his speech that the same restriction will extend to the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485).

This part has not yet appeared in the government's written material, so watch for the official details. 

Last financial year, Australia granted 337,427 student visas, and 45,991 of those went to secondary applicants, classed as dependents or family. This is the group the new rules will affect. 

Planning to study a PhD in Australia?

Under the announced changes, PhD students are expected to be exempt from the new restrictions on including family members in Student visa applications. 

If you’re considering a PhD course, a competitive IELTS score is one of the important requirements you’ll have to meet. This ranges from an overall score of 6.5 - 7.5, depending on the course area and institution. 

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All visitor visas will soon include a No Further Stay condition. 

This condition means the visitor cannot apply for most other visas while they are in Australia. 

There is a positive side. The government expects visitor visas to become easier to get, because the risk of people staying long-term is removed. 

The Minister suggested this is how family members of students can visit their loved ones in Australia: come for a genuine visit, then return home. 

Keep in mind that visitor visas do not include work rights, so visiting family members will need to support themselves. 

For anyone thinking of entering Australia as a visitor and then applying for another visa onshore, that strategy is closing. 

For working holiday makers: 

• Second and third Working Holiday visas will move to a ballot system, with a regional work requirement. A ballot means you enter a pool and are selected by chance.  

• At the Press Club, the Minister indicated the second visa will be capped at around 45,000 places and the third at around 5,000. These numbers are not yet in the official written release, so treat them as indicative for now. 

• The government has committed to stabilising Working Holiday processing times at three months. 

The government named the sectors it wants skilled migration to serve, through an update to Ministerial Direction 119 recently. 

Applications connected to these sectors will get priority processing: , construction, , law enforcement, defence, resources, agriculture, aquaculture and fishing. 

If you are choosing a course now, this list matters. Study that leads to work in these sectors is likely to have smoother visa pathways in the years ahead.

The government also proposed changes to the skilled migration points system so that trade qualifications in critical sectors, like construction, would earn the same points as a bachelor's degree. That change needs new legislation, so it is a proposal for now.

What are the IELTS scores you need to study these in-demand fields?

If you’re interested in studying any of these fields, you might find it useful to know the IELTS scores you’ll have to meet.

For agriculture and construction courses, IELTS requirements range from an overall score of 6.0-6.5, while healthcare, education and law courses require 6.5-7.5.

As a general guide, you can refer to the table below. 

These are examples only. Always check the IELTS requirements for your specific course and institution before applying.

The government announced stronger enforcement against people who stay in Australia after their visa ends, including 100 new border staff and more detention capacity. 

The Minister said the process for overstayers will return to the approach used before 2015, which involved far less flexibility. 

He specifically mentioned student visa overstayers. Please take this seriously. Do not let your visa expire and rely on being able to fix it afterwards. If your visa is ending, get advice early, well before the expiry date. 

1. Do not panic. None of this is law today. Current rules still apply to applications lodged now. 

2. If you are planning to include a partner or child in a future student or graduate visa application, get advice about timing as soon as possible. The window under current rules may be short. 

3. If you are planning your next course, plan upwards. Choose a qualification at a higher level than the one you hold, and look closely at the priority sectors. 

4. Never overstay. Set reminders for your visa expiry and act early. 

5. Watch for the official rules. The government said data and supporting documentation will be released shortly, and the details will matter enormously. 

The Minister summed up the government's position this way: "The government supports immigration but is opposed to anyone rorting the immigration system."

If you are studying genuinely and building a real pathway, these reforms are not aimed at you. But the rules around you are changing, and good decisions now will protect your options later. 

If you are unsure how these changes affect your situation, speak to a registered migration agent before you act.

These announced migration changes don't include any changes to IELTS score requirements. But English requirements remain an important part of many study, work and migration pathways.

IELTS is recognised across Australia for study and migration purposes. And if your plans change, whether that means moving to a higher-level course, entering a new field or exploring a different pathway after graduation, your IELTS result continues to support your next step.

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