September 17, World (LNW): Australia is preparing to overhaul its temporary migration arrangements, with international students potentially losing the right to bring their partners and dependent children with them during their studies.
The proposed measures are part of the federal government’s broader attempt to bring down net overseas migration and reduce the number of people holding temporary visas for extended periods.
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke is expected to outline the changes in a speech at the National Press Club on Thursday, according to Reuters. The government has set a target of reducing annual net overseas migration to 225,000 by 2028, compared with current levels of roughly 300,000.
Under the planned reforms, temporary migrants could also face greater difficulty when attempting to move from one visa category to another or prolong their stay in Australia. The government is seeking to curb what it describes as ‘visa hopping’, reduce the overall temporary migrant population and ensure that people depart the country when their visas expire.
At present, international students can generally bring eligible family members to Australia. Their partners may also work, with permitted working hours depending on the student’s course, while dependent children aged under 18 can accompany them.
The proposed changes would significantly alter that arrangement by preventing international students from bringing their partners and children while they undertake their studies. The restriction is expected to be introduced without a major reduction in the overall number of international students Australia accepts.
Rather than directly targeting student numbers, the policy is intended to reduce the number of additional people entering the country as family members of temporary visa holders.
The change would be particularly significant for students enrolled in lengthy programmes, including postgraduate courses, who may have previously planned to relocate to Australia with their families for the duration of their studies.
Australia experienced a substantial increase in migration after reopening its international borders following almost two years of Covid-19 restrictions. International students, temporary skilled workers and other temporary migrants accounted for a large proportion of the subsequent growth.
Net overseas migration has fallen considerably from its post-pandemic peak. Figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics show that net overseas migration reached 306,000 during the 2024-25 financial year, compared with 429,000 the previous year. The figure had climbed to a record financial-year level of 538,000 in 2022-23.
Temporary students remained the largest category of migrant arrivals in 2024-25, with 157,000 arrivals recorded.
More recent population figures indicate that net overseas migration was approximately 301,000 in the year ending December 2025, representing an 8.9 per cent decline from the preceding year.
Nevertheless, migration continues to be a politically sensitive issue in Australia. The rapid rise in population has fuelled debate over housing supply, infrastructure capacity and the long-term size of the temporary migrant population.
The proposed restrictions on student dependants are therefore being considered alongside a wider strategy aimed at reducing Australia’s temporary visa population, which ABC reports has grown to around three million people.
As part of that strategy, the government intends to tighten the pathways that allow temporary migrants to shift between visa categories primarily to remain in Australia for longer. Authorities also want to strengthen arrangements designed to ensure that people leave the country when their visas expire.
Much of the proposed reform is expected to be implemented through adjustments to visa requirements, conditions and application procedures rather than through entirely new legislation. Discussions between the government and the opposition Coalition about broader legislative changes have so far failed to establish a clear agreement on how such measures could proceed.
The government’s approach comes as calls for stricter immigration controls grow louder across the political spectrum.
The One Nation party has proposed a much larger reduction in temporary migration, seeking to cut the number of temporary migrants by 750,000 over three years before eventually bringing annual net overseas migration down to 130,000. That proposal goes substantially beyond the scale of the changes currently being pursued by the government.
Australia’s immigration debate has become increasingly tied to the consequences of rapid population growth since the pandemic. Those calling for lower migration have pointed to additional pressure on housing and public infrastructure, while universities and the wider international education sector continue to regard overseas students as an important source of economic activity.
For prospective international students, particularly those considering multi-year or postgraduate programmes, the proposed family restrictions could alter the practical and financial appeal of studying in Australia. Students who previously expected to relocate with their immediate families may instead have to consider studying alone or making separate arrangements for their partners and children.
