Australia bars most international students and graduate visa holders' families
Australia just announced new migration rules (as of September 17, 2026) that stop most international students and graduate visa holders from bringing their families along.
Only those already living in Australia or in special categories are exempt.
The government says this is to crack down on "visa-hopping," where people keep switching temporary visas but never settle permanently.
Australian government targets net migration 245,000
These changes will especially impact Indian students, who make up a big chunk of Australia's migrant community.
The goal is to lower net overseas migration to 245,000 this financial year and even further by 2027-28, hoping to ease pressure on housing and infrastructure.
Plus, it will now be harder for students to switch visas unless they are moving up academically (like from a bachelor's degree to a master's degree), and skilled visa processing will focus more on areas like construction and teaching.