Australia moves to restrict family visas for international students

Australia is preparing to tighten immigration rules for international students, with the federal government considering restrictions.

This could make it harder for foreign students to bring spouses, children and other family members into the country, Guardian UK reported.

The proposed changes are part of a broader plan by the Labor government to reduce net overseas migration and give authorities greater control over the number of people entering and leaving Australia.

What they are saying

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke is expected to outline the measures on Thursday, September 17, 2026, during an address at the National Press Club in Canberra titled, “The work of managing the migration program: Who arrives, who stays, who leaves.”

• Among the measures under consideration is a major change to the treatment of dependants of international students. Australia issued more than 337,000 international student visas last year, with about 45,000 granted to dependants or family members of the primary visa holder.
• Under the proposed approach, the majority of international students would be expected to travel to Australia without their family members, potentially affecting thousands of students who would otherwise seek to bring spouses or children with them.

The government is also considering measures to reduce visa overstays and limit the ability of people whose visas have expired to move into other visa categories. This could result in some migrants being required to leave Australia sooner.

Burke said the government needed to reduce net overseas migration while ensuring changes were targeted in a way that supports the Australian economy.

Get up to speed

The proposed restrictions come as Australia seeks to bring net overseas migration down from about 305,000 to approximately 225,000 over two years.

The government has also maintained a target of about 185,000 permanent arrivals annually as it seeks to bring migration levels closer to its forecasts.

Net overseas migration measures the number of people who remain in Australia for at least 12 months within a 16-month period, after accounting for people leaving the country. The measure includes Australian citizens who leave and later return.

Australia’s net overseas migration has already declined for seven consecutive quarters since September 2023 and is forecast to fall below pre-pandemic levels by 2027-28.

However, the number of temporary visa holders remains high. Australian Bureau of Statistics data showed 568,370 overseas arrivals during the 2024-25 financial year.

The proposed reforms come amid a wider political debate over immigration, with growing support for One Nation and increased pressure on the government to reduce migration levels.

What you should know

Australia had previously allowed eligible international students to include family members, such as spouses and children, in their student visa arrangements.

Reports indicate that secondary visas for accompanying family members could be limited mainly to higher-degree research students, Pacific islanders, East Timorese, foreign government scholarship recipients and people sponsored by Australian government departments.

Also, earlier, Australia had raised the minimum salary threshold for employer-sponsored skilled visas to AUD 76,515 ($52,545) for applications lodged between July 1, 2025, and June 30, 2026.

The salary increase affected several major employer-sponsored visa pathways, including the Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482), Employer Nomination Scheme visa (subclass 186), Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional visa (subclass 494), and Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme visa (subclass 187).