Published: 17.09.2026
The government announced measures targeting visa hopping, unlawful overstays and non-meritorious migration claims. Most new international students would be barred from bringing family members, while working holiday extensions would be subject to ballots and caps; selected occupations would receive priority in the migration system.
The announced package makes the system more restrictive for new applicants: students would face limits on extending their stay through course changes and, in most cases, would no longer be able to include family members; working holiday extensions would be capped at 45,000 places for a second year and 5,000 for a third. Visa overstays could lead to detention, while future visitor visas would generally carry a no-further-stay condition limiting onshore switching to another visa. At the same time, the system would prioritise workers in construction, healthcare, education and several other sectors. According to sources, some measures can be implemented through existing powers while others require parliamentary approval, so students, backpackers and people approaching visa expiry should monitor when each rule actually takes effect.