- Australia is preparing a September package to tighten student visa pathways for onshore applications, course changes, and provider transfers.
- Some ETA and eVisitor visas could be shortened from 12 months to 6 months, though that change is still a proposal.
- The government is linking the reforms to a 225,000 Net Overseas Migration target by 2028 and broader visa restrictions.
Australia’s federal government is preparing a September immigration package that would tighten several routes used by international students and temporary visitors, including onshore student applications, family members and course changes.
The reported measures would also restrict moves from higher education into vocational education and training courses, tighten transfers between universities or providers, and target visa hopping within Australia. Some visitor visas could have shorter validity periods.
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The package is expected to be finalised “within weeks,” with some measures thought to begin in September 2026. Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke is expected to announce the reforms.
The proposals have not yet been fully implemented in the official material available for the current rules. Existing visa conditions therefore continue to apply while the government prepares the next package.
The proposed measures would close several onshore routes
The student changes would target applications lodged from inside Australia in certain circumstances. They could also prevent students from changing courses to extend their stay, particularly by moving from higher education into VET or other vocational programs.
Provider transfers would face tighter scrutiny. The package is also expected to limit how many family members students can include on their visas and further restrict onshore pathways across visa categories.
The government is separately considering action against people who move between temporary visas inside Australia, a practice described in the material as “visa hopping.”
| Proposed area | Reported change |
|---|---|
| Onshore student applications | Stop or restrict applications in certain cases |
| Course changes | Restrict moves intended to extend a stay |
| Higher education to VET | Block or limit transfers into vocational or training programs |
| Provider changes | Tighten transfers between universities or education providers |
| Student family members | Limit the number of relatives included on visas |
| Some tourist visas | Reduce validity from 12 months to 6 months |
A separate proposal would shorten the validity of some ETA and eVisitor visas. The reported reduction is from 12 months to 6 months for certain travellers, rather than a universal change to every visitor permission.
Existing conditions still limit work and study
Current rules already place restrictions on students and their relatives. A family member of a Student visa holder generally cannot work before the student’s course begins unless that relative already held another visa allowing work.
Student visa holders generally cannot work more than 48 hours a fortnight while their course is in session. That limit remains separate from the proposed restrictions on course changes, provider transfers and onshore applications.
Visitor and eVisitor visa holders can study or train for no more than 3 months. Some visitor visas also include a “no further stay” style condition, while condition 8503 can prevent most onshore visa applications during a person’s stay in Australia.
A separate July decision has already reshaped family visa processing
The government changed family migration processing in July 2026 by prioritising onshore family visa applications over applications lodged offshore. The Department of Home Affairs said the direction supported “targeted delivery of Australia’s 2026-27 Family Migration Program, including government’s commitment to prioritise applications from onshore migrants.”
The shift affects more than parent applicants. Partner, child and carer visa categories are also covered, while advocacy concerns have focused on offshore applicants facing longer family separations.
Australia has capped permanent family visas at 52,460 for the 2026-27 financial year. Parent visas account for 7,060 places, the lowest allocation in a decade excluding the pandemic period.
Some families were already facing lengthy waits before the July decision. One parent visa applicant group reported an estimated average processing time of 15 to 33 years.
The Department of Home Affairs said the July changes were intended “to place downwards pressure on Net Overseas Migration (NOM).”
The government is linking the changes to migration targets
Australia’s Net Overseas Migration target is 225,000 by 2028, compared with the current 300,000 figure referenced in recent reporting. The September student and visitor package forms part of that broader effort to reduce migration numbers and limit temporary visa pathways.
The July family visa direction is already in effect. The additional student and visitor measures remain under preparation, with some expected to take effect in September 2026.
