18/09/2026
🇦🇺 Australia has announced significant migration changes.
The most important thing to understand is that many of the details—and most commencement dates—have not yet been published. However, this is what we know so far:
🎓 STUDENTS AND GRADUATES
The Government plans to stop most future student and graduate visa holders from including their partners and children as secondary applicants.
Families already in Australia or already linked to an existing visa are not expected to be affected.
Exceptions are expected for certain students from Pacific and ASEAN countries and for doctoral candidates. If you are considering a master’s degree, please do not assume that you will be exempt—we need to wait for the detailed rules.
🌏 WORKING HOLIDAY MAKERS
Second- and third-year visas will move to a ballot system.
The announced annual caps are:
• 45,000 second-year visas
• 5,000 third-year visas
For applicants who are required to complete specified work, the existing requirements are expected to remain: three months for a second visa and six months for a third visa.
✈️ VISITOR VISAS
A No Further Stay condition is planned for all future Visitor visa grants.
This condition generally prevents someone from applying for most other substantive visas while they are in Australia, unless the condition is waived.
Visitor visas already granted are not expected to be affected.
There may be a small upside: the Government has indicated that genuine visitors—including offshore partners of people living in Australia—may receive longer stays in appropriate cases. However, we need to see the detailed rules before relying on this.
🛠️ SKILLED VISAS
The Government has also announced a planned redesign of the points test.
Qualified tradespeople working in areas connected with housing and construction are expected to receive greater recognition, with points more closely comparable to those awarded for university qualifications.
⚠️ WHAT HAPPENS NOW?
These changes are at different stages. The Government says implementation has begun and will continue progressively over the next 12 months.
For many people, the commencement dates and transitional arrangements will determine whether—and how—the changes affect them.
Please do not change your plans based only on headlines. I will post another update as soon as the detailed rules and dates are published.
Suzanne
[email protected]
