Migration changes to hit students’ families and working holiday makers
The long awaited overhaul of the migration system comes as new figures show Net Overseas Migration continuing to decline.
The Albanese government has announced significant changes to Australia's migration policy, affecting students, working holiday makers, and visa holders. Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke stated that the government will stop entry for students' family members, target "visa hopping," and drastically reduce long-term working holiday visas.
The points test for skilled workers has been revamped to prioritize key sectors such as healthcare, construction, education, law enforcement, defense, resources, agriculture, aquaculture, and fishing. The long-awaited overhaul aims to bring Net Overseas Migration (NOM) to 225,000 by 2027-28, down from the budget forecast of 295,000 for 2025-26.
International students will no longer be allowed to bring family members, except for those from Pacific and ASEAN countries, and PhD students. The Working Holiday Maker Program will introduce a ballot system for years two and three, with limits of 45,000 and 5,000 respectively. A "no further stay" condition will be applied to visitor visas, preventing people from hopping to bridging visas.
Visitors will face a tougher approach with more use of detention for overstayers, and a "100 more compliance officers and 250 extra beds" will be employed to expedite removal. Burke emphasized the importance of a temporary visa system for those wanting to stay temporarily and a permanent visa system for those seeking permanent residency, warning that overly harsh cuts to the immigration system could harm the Australian economy.
Written by urgent.news from The Conversation AU's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
