Australia has introduced its biggest migration overhaul in years across 2026. The changes cover visa fees, income thresholds, student visa family restrictions, visitor visa conditions, working holiday rules, and a new government target to cut net overseas migration. The most significant wave came from Home Affairs Minister announcement on 17 September 2026, with earlier changes already in force from 1 February and 1 July 2026.
This blog covers every major change announced this year — what it is, when it starts, and who it affects.
In This Guide
- Overview — Why Australia Is Changing Its Migration Rules
- Fee and Income Threshold Changes — 1 July 2026
- Student Visa Family Restrictions — September 2026
- End of Onshore Visa Switching — February 2026
- Visitor Visa — No Further Stay Condition
- Working Holiday Maker Changes
- Skilled Migration — Priority Sectors and Points Test
- Subclass 485 Graduate Visa — Fee Increase
- New Arrival Control Power
- Tighter Compliance and Enforcement
- Net Migration Targets
- What Has NOT Changed
- 2026 Changes Timeline at a Glance
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Conclusion
Overview — Why Australia Is Changing Its Migration Rules
Australia’s migration system has been under significant pressure since the post-pandemic period. Net overseas migration — the difference between arrivals and departures — reached approximately 292,000 in the year to March 2026. The current government considers this too high and has introduced a series of reforms to bring that number down in a structured way.
The government’s stated goals are clear: reduce temporary migration numbers, target genuine skills shortages, stop visa misuse, and make the system harder to exploit. The changes affect students, visitors, skilled workers, backpackers, employers, and families.
Not all announced changes take effect immediately. Some require regulations. Some require legislation that has not yet passed. This blog separates what is already in force from what is still coming.
Important: Because several measures are being rolled out progressively, always check current rules with the Department of Home Affairs or a registered migration agent before lodging any application.
Fee and Income Threshold Changes — 1 July 2026
The Home Affairs Legislation Amendment (2026 Measures No. 1) Regulations 2026 came into force on 1 July 2026. These changes directly affect what employers must pay sponsored workers and what applicants must pay to lodge visa applications.
Visa Application Fee Increase — Approximately 25%
Most Australian visa application charges increased by approximately 25% from 1 July 2026. This applies to the first instalment of the visa application charge across the majority of visa subclasses listed in Schedule 1 of the Migration Regulations.
The most notable example is the Student Visa (Subclass 500), whose base application fee rose to $2,500 AUD. If you are planning a visa application, budget for higher government charges across the board — not just the visa categories making headlines.
Skilled Migration Income Thresholds
The income thresholds for employer-sponsored skilled workers have also been updated. The key figures from 1 July 2026 are:
| Threshold | Amount (AUD) | What It Affects |
|---|---|---|
| Core Skills Income Threshold (CSIT) / TSMIT | $79,423 | Minimum salary for most employer-sponsored visa nominations |
| Specialist Skills Income Threshold | $146,576 | High-skill employer sponsorship with broader occupation access |
| Fair Work High Income Threshold | $190,100 | Age exemption rules under employer sponsorship arrangements |
The alignment of the Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT) with the Core Skills Income Threshold at $79,423 is particularly significant. It means employers in sectors like aged care and hospitality — where salaries historically sat below this figure — now face a harder compliance challenge when trying to sponsor overseas workers.
Citizenship Application Fees
Citizenship application fees have also been adjusted in line with CPI increases as part of the same July 2026 regulations. If you are planning to apply for Australian citizenship, check the current fee at immi.homeaffairs.gov.au before lodging, as the figures published on older websites may no longer be accurate.
Student Visa Family Restrictions — September 2026
This is one of the most talked-about changes in the September 2026 announcement and the one most likely to affect international students planning to study with their families.
What Is Changing
Most international students on a Subclass 500 Student visa will no longer be able to bring their partner or dependent children to Australia as secondary applicants under their student visa. This closes what the government calls the “student family pathway” that allowed many secondary migrants to effectively enter Australia through a student visa holder.
The same restriction will apply to holders of the Subclass 485 Temporary Graduate visa. Graduate visa holders will also generally not be able to have partners or children join them as secondary applicants.
Who Gets an Exemption
The government has confirmed exemptions will apply in the following situations:
- PhD students — doctoral candidates are exempt and may still bring dependants
- Pacific and ASEAN nationals — students from these countries will have exemptions based on Australia’s regional relationships
- Families already in Australia — the government has stated that families already here on linked visas will not be separated as a result of this announcement
When Does This Start
As of the announcement date of 17 September 2026, no confirmed commencement date had been published for this specific measure. The government indicated it would be rolled out progressively. This means students already in the planning stage should monitor the Department of Home Affairs website closely for the official start date before making any family arrangements.
Key point: An announcement is not the same as a rule in force. Do not assume these restrictions are active immediately. Check the Department of Home Affairs for commencement dates before making decisions about family members.
Tighter Course Switching Rules for Students
Students who switch courses primarily to extend their time in Australia are facing greater scrutiny. The government is introducing restrictions that generally require students who transfer to a different qualification to be progressing to a higher level of study, not a lateral or lower-level course.
This directly targets what the government calls “course-switching visa extension” — enrolling in a new course simply to get more time on a student visa without any genuine educational progression.
Ministerial Direction 115 for Student Visas
The Department of Home Affairs introduced Ministerial Direction 115 specifically for student visas. This Direction governs how the Department prioritises and processes student visa applications, including the weight given to genuine temporary entrant assessments.
End of Onshore Visa Switching — February 2026
From 2 February 2026, a suite of regulatory reforms targeting “visa hopping” came into force. These changes restrict the ability of people holding visitor, student, and temporary work visas to switch between visa subclasses while they are inside Australia.
Before this change, it was possible — and common — for people on a visitor visa to apply for a student visa, or for people on a temporary graduate visa to switch directly to a new student visa, all while remaining in Australia. The government viewed this as a structural loophole being used to extend stays without genuine migration intent.
Under the new rules:
- Visitors who have applied for and been granted visitor visas multiple times may now face outright refusal of a further visitor visa
- Moving from a Visitor visa or Temporary Graduate visa directly into a new Student visa onshore is blocked under the new restrictions
- International students face stricter monitoring of their genuine study pathways
- Employer sponsors are subject to more frequent compliance audits
The Department estimated at the time of announcement that these measures would reduce temporary visa numbers by approximately 85,000 over twelve months.
Visitor Visa — No Further Stay Condition
The government has announced that future Visitor visas (Subclass 600) will broadly have a No Further Stay condition attached. This means visitors would be required to leave Australia when their visa expires rather than being able to apply for another visa while remaining in the country.
This is a significant structural shift. Previously, a No Further Stay condition was applied selectively. Expanding it broadly to visitor visas removes the ability for most visitors to use their time in Australia to apply for a different visa onshore — which was a common pathway for people who arrived as visitors and then decided they wanted to stay.
This measure was announced on 17 September 2026 but requires legislative or regulatory change before it takes full effect. Not yet formally commenced at the time of writing.
The government also demonstrated a new power in March 2026, issuing an Arrival Control Determination that temporarily suspended travel to Australia for Iranian passport holders who held Subclass 600 visas and were outside Australia at the time. This was the first use of a new ministerial power that allows the government to temporarily render certain offshore visa holders’ visas inactive without cancelling them.
Working Holiday Maker Changes
Australia’s Working Holiday Maker program is also being restructured. The September 2026 announcement from Minister Burke included significant changes that affect backpackers seeking a second or third year in Australia.
Ballot System for Second and Third-Year Visas
Second and third-year Working Holiday Maker visas are moving to a ballot system. Rather than all eligible applicants automatically being granted an extended stay, applicants will need to enter a ballot and be selected. The available places are:
| Visa Year | Annual Places Under Ballot | Previous Approximate Numbers |
|---|---|---|
| Second-year Working Holiday | 45,000 | ~57,000 |
| Third-year Working Holiday | 5,000 | ~31,000 |
The regional work requirements for extended stays remain in place. This is a significant reduction in available extended places and means many backpackers who previously would have received a second or third year automatically will now miss out.
Farming and tourism industry bodies have already raised concerns that tighter Working Holiday Maker numbers will affect regional labour supply. The government has acknowledged this but proceeded with the changes as part of the broader migration reduction strategy.
Age Limit Increase for Subclass 417
The maximum age limit for Subclass 417 Working Holiday visa applicants has increased to 35 years old for passport holders from Germany, South Korea, Finland, and Cyprus. This means people from those countries who are 31 to 35 years old can now apply for a first Working Holiday visa in Australia, where previously the cutoff was 30.
This change does not apply to all nationalities — it is specifically tied to bilateral arrangements with those four countries. Applicants must meet the age requirement at the time of lodgement, not at the time of grant.
Skilled Migration — Priority Sectors and Points Test
Skilled migration has not been cut — in fact, the government has signalled that it wants to maintain skilled pathways for genuine labour market needs. But the way skilled visas are processed and prioritised has changed significantly.
Ministerial Direction 119 — Processing Priority
Ministerial Direction 119, first issued in July 2026, governs the order in which the Department of Home Affairs processes certain visa applications. It sets processing priority rather than changing eligibility. This matters because the direction determines which applications get processed faster and which wait longer.
The government has confirmed it is updating Direction 119 to prioritise skilled visa processing in five sectors experiencing acute skills shortages:
- Construction
- Healthcare
- Agriculture and fisheries
- Teaching
If your occupation falls in one of these sectors, your skilled migration application is likely to be processed ahead of applications in lower-priority categories. If you are in a sector not on this list, your wait may be longer.
Points Test Redesign
The government has announced an intention to redesign the skilled migration points test. As of September 2026, the details of the redesign have not been fully legislated. The changes broke down in parliamentary negotiations, so the new points test is not yet in force. Applicants should use the current points test for any EOI they submit and watch for updates when new legislation is introduced.
Employer Compliance — Higher Salary Thresholds
With the TSMIT and CSIT aligned at $79,423 from July 2026, employers who want to sponsor overseas workers must pay at least this amount. Employers in lower-wage sectors will find it harder to use employer sponsorship pathways than before. More frequent compliance audits are also underway, targeting employers who may be underpaying sponsored workers or not meeting their sponsorship obligations.
Subclass 485 Graduate Visa — Fee Increase
The Subclass 485 Temporary Graduate visa has seen a significant fee increase in 2026. The Post-Higher Education Work stream fee roughly doubled to approximately $4,600 AUD as part of the 2026 fee reform package.
This is a substantial change for international graduates who rely on the 485 as the bridge between completing their degree and pursuing permanent residency pathways. The higher fee means graduates need to budget more carefully for their post-study visa stage.
The Migration Amendment (Temporary Graduate Visa Application Charge) Regulations 2026 commenced on 1 March 2026, with further fee adjustments following as part of the July 2026 package. Because fees changed twice in 2026, always check the current charge at immi.homeaffairs.gov.au before applying rather than relying on any figure you read earlier in the year.
New Arrival Control Power
A new legislative power introduced in 2026 allows the Minister for Home Affairs to issue an Arrival Control Determination. This power lets the Minister temporarily suspend the right to travel to Australia for certain categories of offshore temporary visa holders.
Key features of this power:
- Requires written agreement from both the Prime Minister and the Minister for Foreign Affairs before it can be used
- Cannot be delegated to departmental officials
- Lasts no longer than six months and cannot be extended
- Must be tabled in Parliament within two sitting days
- Does not cancel a visa — if the determination expires, the affected visa becomes active again (provided it has not expired in the interim)
- Does not affect people already inside Australia, permanent visa holders, or humanitarian visa holders
This power was used for the first time on 26 March 2026, issuing a determination affecting Iranian passport holders with Subclass 600 Visitor visas who were outside Australia at the time, linked to conflict in Iran and concerns about departure compliance.
Tighter Compliance and Enforcement
Across multiple areas of the 2026 reforms, the theme of tighter compliance runs through everything. Several specific enforcement measures have been announced or implemented.
Crackdown on Overstayers
The September 2026 announcement explicitly strengthened enforcement action against people who remain in Australia after their visas expire. The government has increased resources for identifying and removing overstayers as part of the broader migration reduction strategy.
State and Territory Access to Movement Records
A 2026 amendment formally allows state and territory governments to directly access applicants’ entry and exit movement records. This is part of a broader push toward coordinated compliance monitoring across federal and state levels.
Training Visa (Subclass 407) Changes
Changes to the Training visa (Subclass 407) came into effect on 11 March 2026. The details of these changes affect the occupations and training arrangements eligible under this visa. Employers using Subclass 407 for structured workplace-based training should verify that their training arrangements still meet the updated criteria.
Net Migration Targets
For the first time, the Australian Government is treating its Budget migration forecasts as firm targets rather than projections. Minister Burke confirmed this shift explicitly in September 2026.
The targets are:
| Year | Net Overseas Migration Target |
|---|---|
| 2026–2027 | 245,000 |
| 2027–2028 | 225,000 |
| Year to March 2026 (actual) | ~292,000 |
Treating these as firm targets means future policy decisions — not yet announced — will be calibrated to keep numbers within these limits. If migration numbers are not falling fast enough, further restrictions are plausible before the end of the year.
What Has NOT Changed
With so many announcements, it is just as important to know what has stayed the same as it is to know what changed. Several things that circulated in early reporting as potential changes have not proceeded — at least not yet.
- The Subclass 485 eligibility criteria — who qualifies for the Temporary Graduate visa has not changed. Only the fee has.
- Planning levels for skilled migration — the overall number of skilled permanent visas available has not been reduced
- The expression of interest system for student visas — this was floated but is dependent on legislation that has not yet passed
- Changes to non-genuine protection claims treatment — also legislation-dependent and not yet in force
- The partner visa program — no structural changes to partner visa categories were announced in September 2026
- Work hours for international students — remains 48 hours per fortnight during term time and unlimited during holiday breaks, with full hours for PhD and master’s by research students
2026 Changes Timeline at a Glance
| Date | Change | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 1 March 2026 | Subclass 485 Temporary Graduate fee increased | In Force |
| 11 March 2026 | Subclass 407 Training visa changes commenced | In Force |
| 26 March 2026 | First Arrival Control Determination issued (Iran/Subclass 600) | Used |
| 2 February 2026 | Anti-visa-hopping regulations commenced | In Force |
| 1 July 2026 | Visa fees increased ~25%, income thresholds updated | In Force |
| July 2026 | Ministerial Direction 119 issued — processing priority for skilled visas | In Force |
| 17 September 2026 | Major package announced — students, visitors, working holiday, skilled | Announced — Rolling Out |
Frequently Asked Questions
Can international students still bring their family to Australia?
From the September 2026 announcement, most new international students will generally no longer be able to bring their partners or dependent children as secondary applicants. Exemptions apply for PhD students, and students from Pacific and ASEAN countries. Families already in Australia on linked visas will not be forcibly separated. Commencement dates are still to be confirmed — check the Department of Home Affairs for the official start date.
Have visa application fees gone up in 2026?
Yes. From 1 July 2026, most visa application charges increased by approximately 25%. The Student Visa (Subclass 500) base fee is now $2,500 AUD. The Subclass 485 Temporary Graduate visa fee for the Post-Higher Education Work stream roughly doubled to around $4,600 AUD. Always check the current fee at immi.homeaffairs.gov.au before lodging.
What is the minimum salary for a sponsored worker in Australia now?
From 1 July 2026, the Core Skills Income Threshold and the Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold are aligned at $79,423 AUD. The Specialist Skills threshold sits at $146,576 AUD. The Fair Work High Income Threshold is $190,100 AUD. Employers must pay nominated workers at or above the relevant threshold.
What is visa hopping and is it now illegal?
Visa hopping refers to repeatedly applying for new visas while inside Australia to extend a stay beyond the original intended purpose. From 2 February 2026, regulations targeting this practice came into force. Visitor visa holders who re-apply multiple times may now face outright refusal. Switching directly from a visitor or temporary graduate visa to a new student visa onshore is now restricted.
Will the Working Holiday Maker ballot affect all nationalities?
The ballot system applies to second and third-year Working Holiday visas broadly. Annual places are capped at 45,000 for a second year and 5,000 for a third year. Regional work requirements remain. The specific bilateral arrangements for each nationality’s eligibility should be checked through the Department of Home Affairs as details are released.
Has the skilled migration program been cut?
Not in terms of overall permanent places. The government’s migration reduction targets focus on temporary migration numbers. Skilled permanent visas remain a priority. However, the processing priority under Ministerial Direction 119 means certain sectors — construction, healthcare, agriculture, fisheries, and teaching — will see faster processing than others. Applications outside these priority sectors may wait longer.
Do these changes affect people already in Australia?
Most announced changes apply to new applicants or to new visa grants rather than to people already holding a valid visa in Australia. The student family restrictions, for example, were announced with a specific note that families already in Australia on linked visas will not be separated. However, the anti-visa-hopping rules that came into force from 2 February 2026 do affect people inside Australia who are trying to switch between visa types.
When will the new points test for skilled migration start?
The points test redesign was announced as part of the September 2026 package but requires legislation that has not yet been passed. As of the date of this blog, the current points test remains in effect. Submit your Expression of Interest using the current points test and monitor the Department of Home Affairs website for updates when legislation is introduced.
Conclusion — What These Changes Mean for You
Australia’s 2026 immigration changes are the most significant in years. They affect nearly every category of temporary migrant — international students, skilled workers, visitors, backpackers, and sponsored employees. The direction is clear: the government wants fewer temporary residents, a more targeted skills focus, and a system that is harder to use outside its intended purposes.
But understanding what these changes actually mean for your specific situation is not straightforward. Not all announced changes have commenced. Some require legislation that has not yet passed. Some have exemptions that are not always reported clearly. And the commencement dates for several of the September 2026 measures are still to be confirmed.
If any of these changes affect you — or if you are unsure whether they do — speaking with a qualified Australian migration agent is the most reliable step you can take. A registered migration agent understands the current rules, tracks which changes are in force and which are not yet, and can tell you specifically how your situation is affected rather than giving you the broad picture this blog covers.
Asia Pacific Group has MARA-registered migration agents who are working with students, skilled workers, employers, and families through exactly these changes right now. If you have questions about how the 2026 rules apply to your visa, your application, or your plans for Australia — book a free initial consultation with the APG team. You will leave with a clear, specific picture of where you stand under the current rules.
Speak with an APG migration agent about how the 2026 changes affect your visa plans.
