Australia has announced sweeping changes to its immigration system, with the government seeking to reduce overall migration, curb misuse of student visas and “visa hopping,” give priority to sectors facing shortages of skilled workers, and strengthen enforcement against foreign nationals staying in the country unlawfully, including through increased removals.

Under the new policy announced on Thursday by Australian Home Affairs and Immigration Minister Tony Burke, most international students coming to Australia for study will no longer be able to immediately bring their spouses, partners or other dependent family members with them. The government says the measure is aimed at maintaining the integrity of the student visa system and managing Australia’s migration program more effectively.

The new rule will not apply uniformly to all students. Exceptions will be available for students undertaking higher-level studies such as PhD programs and for certain designated groups. Some students from Pacific and Southeast Asian countries will also be exempt. The government has said the new arrangements are not intended to separate students and their partners who are already in Australia.

The new policy also seeks to curb the practice of repeatedly applying for new visas without completing a course or by changing the purpose or level of study. Greater scrutiny will be placed on attempts to obtain another student visa by moving to a lower level of study, as well as on the use of student visas as a means of extending stays in Australia. The government has also announced tighter arrangements concerning visas for secondary applicants under the student visa program.

Australia is also introducing measures to prevent visitor visas from being used as a pathway to longer-term stays or to transition to another visa category.

The government has announced that a “No Further Stay” condition will be applied to all visitor visas. The measure is intended to ensure that visitor visas are used by genuine visitors and to curb the practice of entering Australia on a visitor visa, subsequently applying for another visa, and remaining in the country on a bridging visa while awaiting a decision.

The Australian Government has set a target of reducing Net Overseas Migration (NOM) to 225,000 by 2027–28. The target for the current financial year is 245,000. According to the government, NOM has already declined significantly from its post-COVID peak in 2023. Data released on September 17 showed NOM had fallen to 292,000, a 47 percent decline from the 2023 peak.

While seeking to reduce overall migration, the government says it will continue to give priority to skilled workers needed by the Australian economy, particularly in sectors such as healthcare, construction, education and law enforcement.

Under the new arrangements, priority will also be given to skilled workers in healthcare, construction, education, law enforcement, defence, resources, agriculture, aquaculture and fishing.

According to the Australian Department of Home Affairs, the new priority system is intended to facilitate faster and more targeted processing for migrants with skills Australia needs. The changes are also expected to make the choice of field of study and future profession more important for international students who intend to transition from study to skilled employment in Australia.

The government has also announced that the process of removing people who do not hold valid visas will be accelerated. It plans to deploy additional officers for immigration compliance and has proposed using pandemic-era quarantine infrastructure in Melbourne for immigration detention if required.

The government’s stated policy is to prevent people without valid visas from remaining in Australia indefinitely and to strengthen the process of returning those who do not leave voluntarily in accordance with Australian law.

The new measures could have a direct impact on Nepali students and their families, given the large number of Nepali students studying in Australia. The popular arrangement under which students bring dependents to Australia is likely to be affected by the new restrictions.

The changes could also create financial challenges for families if students, including those who transition to post-study or graduate visas, face restrictions on bringing their partners to Australia.

A common arrangement among international students in Australia has been for one partner to study while the other works and contributes to household expenses. The new policy could therefore affect this family-based financial model and influence the decisions of prospective students considering Australia as a study destination.

Minister Tony Burke has described migrants as an important contributor to Australia’s economic and social development, while emphasizing that the government is not seeking to stop migration altogether but rather to make the system more targeted and better managed.

According to the government, the reforms are intended to bring in the skills Australia needs, prevent misuse of student and other temporary visas, and manage the overall scale of migration.

The Australian Government has said the changes will be implemented progressively, with various policy and administrative measures to be rolled out over the next 12 months.

As Australia announces major changes to its immigration policy, government data shows that the number of international students in the country has already begun to decline.

The new measures are expected to further reduce the number of international students. By May 2026, 680,582 international students had studied in Australia, representing a 6.9 percent decline compared with the same period in 2025.

The number of students commencing new studies in Australia in 2026 stood at 91,468, a 6 percent decline compared with the same period in 2025.

Because many international students undertake more than one course during a reported year, the total number of enrolments reached 752,784. This was an 8 percent decline compared with the same period in 2025. The number of commencements was 216,884, also an 8 percent decline.

The new immigration measures could have a direct impact on Nepali students already studying in Australia as well as those planning to travel to Australia for study, along with their families.

According to the Australian Government, international students from Nepal accounted for 9 percent of the total international student population by May 2026. Based on the total of 680,582 students, this represents approximately 61,000 Nepali students.

Nepal is among the five largest source countries for international students in Australia, after China and India. Students from China accounted for 23 percent, India 16 percent, Nepal 9 percent, Vietnam 5 percent, and Bangladesh 4 percent of the total international student population.

Together, students from these five countries accounted for 57 percent of all international students in Australia.

New Changes Taking Immediate Effect

The Australian Government says it is committed to attracting the skills Australia needs, supporting economic growth and productivity, and ensuring that migration settings work effectively for Australian workers and communities.

The next stage of migration policy changes is designed to deliver the Budget’s Net Overseas Migration (NOM) forecasts of 245,000 in the current financial year and 225,000 in 2027–28.

To achieve this, the Australian Government will introduce the following measures:

• Compliance measures will be strengthened to ensure that people without valid visas leave Australia.
• Ministerial Direction 119 will be updated to ensure that the skilled migration program provides priority processing for key sectors, including healthcare, construction, education, law enforcement, defence, resources, agriculture, aquaculture and fishing.
• The integrity of the student visa system will be strengthened by stopping “visa hopping” and restricting secondary applicants on most student visas.
• Action will be taken against rogue and irresponsible migration agents who knowingly assist visa applications that do not have a valid basis.
• A “No Further Stay” condition will be introduced for all visitor visas. The purpose is to ensure that visitor visas are used only by genuine visitors and are not used as a pathway to extend stays in Australia.
• Ministerial Direction 110 will be updated to address hate and criminal behaviour. The changes will include:
  • better protection for children who are victims of crime;
  • better protection for victims of domestic and family violence; and
  • reflecting modern Australia’s commitment to eliminating hatred and discrimination.
• The Working Holiday Maker Program will be changed to introduce a ballot system for the second and third years. Applicants will be required to undertake work in regional areas in support of regional Australia. The government will also seek to stabilise processing times for Working Holiday Maker applications at three months.

Changes to Be Rolled Out Over 12 Months

The government says these changes have already begun to be implemented and will be progressively rolled out over the next 12 months.

The government says the reforms are intended to maintain the integrity of Australia’s migration system while ensuring that people are treated with the fairness and decency expected by Australians.