Australia to bar foreign students from bringing their partners and children
At present, international students can bring their spouses and partners and dependent children under the age of 18 into Australia to accompany them.
Sydney – Australia plans to restrict foreign students from bringing their partners and children to accompany them while they study, according to media reports ahead of a minister's speech on immigration changes. The government aims to reduce net overseas migration to 225,000 by 2028, down from about 300,000 currently, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke will announce in a speech at the National Press Club on Thursday, reported public broadcaster ABC News, citing unnamed sources.
Current policy allows spouses and partners of international students to work in Australia, though the number of hours they can work depends on the student's course. Dependents under 18 can also be brought. The move follows the One Nation party's announcement that it would cut the number of temporary migrants by 750,000 over three years, aiming to give Australians "breathing space."
The party, known for its "Australia first" approach, seeks to limit net overseas migration to 130,000 after the first three years, with annual reviews. Australia's migration intake, largely driven by international students, backpackers, and temporary skilled workers, surged after borders reopened in February 2022 following two years of COVID-19 restrictions.
However, numbers have been declining over the past two years, despite critics arguing that the influx has strained housing, infrastructure, and social cohesion. Net overseas migration was 306,000 in 2025, with international students comprising more than half of that total, according to official data. Net migration stood at 429,000 in 2024, after peaking at 518,000 in 2023.
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