Australia is set to tighten its immigration rules, with international students expected to be prevented from bringing their partners and children with them while studying in the country.
The move is part of a broader overhaul of temporary visa rules aimed at reducing net overseas migration to 225,000 a year by 2028, down from about 300,000 currently. Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke is due to outline the measures in a National Press Club address on Thursday.
The government also plans to tighten rules for temporary migrants seeking to switch visas or extend their stay, while taking steps to ensure migrants leave Australia when their visas expire.
International students are expected to remain eligible to study in Australia, but would effectively lose the ability to bring family members under the proposed changes. Last financial year, 337,427 student visas were granted, including 45,991 secondary applicants classified as dependants or family members.
Under the current system, spouses and partners of international students can work in Australia, although their permitted working hours vary depending on the student’s course. Students can also bring dependent children aged under 18.
Burke’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the reported changes.
The government’s plans come amid growing political pressure over immigration, including from One Nation, which this week proposed cutting temporary migration by 750,000 over three years. The party has also proposed restricting net overseas migration to 130,000 after the initial three-year period.
Australia’s migration intake surged after the country reopened its borders in February 2022 following almost two years of Covid-19 restrictions, driven largely by international students, backpackers and temporary skilled workers.
Net overseas migration has since declined, falling from a peak of 518,000 in 2023 to 429,000 in 2024 and 306,000 in the year ended June 30, 2025. International students accounted for more than half of the latest figure, according to official data.
The government has faced concerns over the impact of high migration on housing and infrastructure, while critics have also raised broader concerns about social cohesion.
