On 17 September 2026, Australia's Home Affairs Minister, Tony Burke, announced a big change to Australia's visa rules. It affects international students who want to bring their partner or children with them. Here's what was actually said, in plain terms.
What's changing
Right now, an international student can bring their partner or children to Australia on their student visa from day one. Under the new rules, most students will no longer be able to do this. The same applies to people on a Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) after finishing their studies.
Who is not affected
Two groups can still bring family with them:
- Students from Pacific and ASEAN countries
- Students on certain courses, such as a PhD
If you're not sure what these terms mean, here's a simple explanation:
- ASEAN stands for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. It's a group of 10 countries in Southeast Asia: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.
- Pacific refers to Pacific Island nations that Australia has close ties with, such as Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Tonga, and Vanuatu, among others. The Department of Home Affairs has not yet published the full, official list, so it's worth checking with an adviser once your country is confirmed.
If your family is already with you in Australia, this change does not affect you. The Minister was clear that the government will not separate families who are already there.
Another change: how you can move between courses
The rules on switching courses are also getting stricter. From now on, you can only move to a higher-level course, for example from a bachelor's degree to a master's. You will not be able to move sideways or downwards, such as switching to an easier or lower-level course just to stay in Australia longer.
Two things are staying the same:
- If you get seriously ill, or your college closes down, you can still apply for a 12-month extension.
- You can still transfer to a different course at the same level and same institution. You will just need to apply for a new visa to do this.
What is not changing
The number of student visas being issued is not being cut. This change is only about who can come with you, not how many students Australia accepts. If you already have an offer or a visa, this does not apply to you retroactively.
When does this start?
As of now, no start date has been announced. Because the government is making this change through regulation rather than a new law, it could happen quickly, but nothing is confirmed yet. We will update this article as soon as an official date is published.
What this means for you
If bringing your partner or children with you is an important part of your study plans, it is worth speaking to an adviser before choosing your course or country. Your options may be different depending on your subject, your nationality, and the level of your course.
You can find more on our Study in Australia pages, including our guide to the Student Visa Subclass 500 and what happens after you finish studying.
Speak to our team if you would like help thinking through how this affects your own plans.