GiRo Migration

02/10/2026

01/10/2026

🚨🎓 STUDENT VISA: THE CRACKDOWN IS CONFIRMED

There had been announcements, but no confirmed start date.
Now it’s official: major changes take effect from 2 October 2026.

📍 Further Student visa applications may need to be lodged offshore
If you already hold a Student visa and want to apply for another one, you will generally need to apply from outside Australia.

✅ Important exceptions: some students can still apply onshore
You may be able to apply from inside Australia if you need a further visa to complete the principal course for which your current visa was granted, or if you have completed that course and are progressing to a higher-level course. Strict course and eligibility requirements apply.

👨‍👩‍👧 Major restrictions for family members
Partners and children will only be able to apply in specific circumstances. Separate subsequent entrant applications will be significantly restricted.

✈️ You may need to remain offshore until a decision is made
In many cases, applicants required to apply offshore must also remain outside Australia until their visa is decided.

⏰ Effective date: 2 October 2026
Find out how these changes may affect you and your family. The exceptions are specific and do not apply automatically to every student continuing their studies.

More info:

Learn about Australia’s Student visa changes from 2 October 2026, including offshore applications, repeat Student visas, secondary applicants and family members.

18/09/2026

🇦🇺 Australia's Migration System Is Changing — Here's What You Need to Know

The Australian Government has just outlined the next stage of migration policy reform, aiming to bring Net Overseas Migration down to 245,000 this financial year (225,000 in 2027–28). Here's what's changing:

✅ Priority processing for key sectors — Ministerial Direction 119 is being updated to fast-track skilled migration in healthcare, construction, education, law enforcement, defence, resources, agriculture, aquaculture and fishing.

🎓 Student visa integrity — new measures to stop "visa hopping" and restrict secondary applicants on most student visas.

✈️ Visitor visas — a "No Further Stay" condition will apply to all visitor visas, to keep them for genuine visitors only.

🛂 Compliance — stronger enforcement to ensure people without a valid visa leave the country, and a crackdown on unregistered/rogue migration agents.

🤝 Working Holiday Maker Program — a ballot system is coming for second and third-year visas, with a regional work requirement, and processing times are being stabilised to 3 months.

🛡️ Character requirements (Ministerial Direction 110) — updated to better protect child victims of crime and victims of domestic and family violence.

These changes have already started rolling out and will continue progressively over the next 12 months.

What does this mean for you? If you're planning a skilled visa, sponsoring an employee, on a student visa, or applying for a Working Holiday visa, these changes could directly affect your pathway and timeline.

📩 Get in touch with our team for advice tailored to your situation — we're following every update closely so you don't have to.

🔗 Source: Australian Department of Home Affairs
immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/australian-government-migration-policy-changes

Find out about Australian visas, immigration and citizenship.

17/09/2026

🔴 **LIVE UPDATE — MIGRATION NUMBERS**

The Government says migration levels must be reduced carefully while avoiding damage to essential services and the Australian economy.

The Minister confirmed the intention to allow housing supply to catch up, while continuing to attract doctors, nurses, aged-care workers and construction workers.

The stated approach is to reduce migration as far as possible **without creating damaging labour shortages**.

17/09/2026

🔴 **LIVE UPDATE — SKILLED MIGRATION AND FAMILIES**

The Government has defended allowing skilled visa holders to bring their families to Australia.

The Minister noted that approximately:

➡️ 50% of migrant doctors arrive with family members
➡️ 50% of construction workers arrive with family members
➡️ Around two-thirds of nurses and aged-care workers arrive with family members

The Government’s position is that removing family access could make Australia significantly less attractive to the essential workers needed in healthcare, aged care and construction.

17/09/2026

🚨 AUSTRALIAN IMMIGRATION REFORM — KEY ANNOUNCEMENTS SO FAR

The Government’s proposed changes include:

✅ A redesigned skilled migration points test
✅ Greater recognition for housing-related trades
✅ Processing priority for construction, agriculture, fisheries, resources and teaching
✅ Changes to Working Holiday visa processing
✅ Major restrictions on family members joining student and graduate visa holders
✅ Further action against inappropriate visa hopping

Some measures may require legislation, while others still require formal instruments, commencement dates and transitional provisions.

⚠️ These are initial announcements. We will provide more detailed information once the official rules are released.

Follow Giro Migration for further updates.

17/09/2026

🚨 MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENT — STUDENT AND GRADUATE VISAS

The Government has announced plans to stop most international students and Temporary Graduate visa holders from including or subsequently bringing family members under these visas.

Important exceptions are expected to apply, including for:

➡️ Certain PhD students
➡️ Pacific applicants
➡️ ASEAN nationals
➡️ Certain specified courses or circumstances

The Minister also indicated that families already together in Australia will not be separated by the change.

We are awaiting the formal rules, commencement date and transitional arrangements before assessing individual cases.

17/09/2026

🔴 LIVE UPDATE — WORKING HOLIDAY VISAS

The Government intends to restore faster processing for primary Working Holiday visa applications in programs where regional work is required to qualify for a second or third visa.

Applications from UK passport holders will not receive the same immediate processing adjustment, with the Government pointing to the rapid increase in UK Working Holiday makers following the Australia–UK Free Trade Agreement.

Further clarification will be required regarding processing times and implementation.

17/09/2026

🔴 LIVE UPDATE — VISA PROCESSING PRIORITIES

The Government has announced changes to the direction governing visa-processing priorities.

The following sectors are expected to receive greater priority:

🏗️ Construction
🌾 Agriculture
🎣 Fisheries
⛏️ Resources
📚 Teaching

We are waiting for the final direction and implementation details before confirming how individual applications will be affected.

17/09/2026

🚨 MAJOR CHANGE FOR HOUSING TRADES

Under the proposed new skilled migration points test, applicants qualified in designated housing trades are expected to receive points equivalent to those awarded for a university qualification.

This is intended to attract more skilled construction workers and help address Australia’s housing shortage.

The exact occupations, points allocation and commencement date are yet to be confirmed.