The Government has announced significant changes to the migration program, in a speech by the Home Affairs Minister, Tony Burke to the National Press Club on 17 September 2026. The changes affect a wide range of areas within the migration program, including skilled, working holiday makers, students, temporary graduates, visitors, partner visa applicants and visa compliance. These changes have begun to be implemented and will be progressively rolled out over the next 12 months.
Minister Burke outlined these measures with the aim of reducing Net Overseas Migration (NOM) to 245,000 in 2026-27 and 225,000 per year from 2027-28, down from 292,100 in the year to March 2026. The measure has been explained as a “softening” of net arrivals to help the housing market catch up with demand.
The Government is also seeking to address the practice of “visa-hopping,” which involves moving between temporary visas and using appeals to extend a stay beyond the original visa’s intent. Note that this does not extend to legitimate visa progression (for example, moving from a student to graduate to skilled visa to citizenship).
Further changes are expected to be announced as the Government continues negotiations with the Opposition, on planned changes which require formal legislation to be passed by Parliament. The measures announced thus far rely on ministerial directions, regulation and immigration policy interpretation changes only.
Future reforms expected include changing the demand-driven nature of the program, particularly employer sponsored visas (which will require legislation). Areas that are not likely to be targeted include health, aged care and constructions sectors, which are experiencing acute skilled labour shortages.
Student And Temporary Graduate Visa Changes Announced
Secondary Visa Applicants
Most new students and temporary graduates visa applicants will no longer be able to have secondary visa applicants join them in Australia.
These changes do not affect primary visa holders who are already in Australia with secondary visa applicants.
Exceptions are reserved for students from Pacific and ASEAN nations and for postgraduate study (PhD).
Course Transfers
Genuine students will still be able to apply for new student visas to progress up the qualification levels (for example, from a Bachelor to a Masters degree).
Transfers to lower tier providers will require a new visa application (visa condition 8202).
Under these changes, students will be expected to progress to a higher-level qualification rather than re-enrol in a course at the same or a lower level.
Working Holiday Maker (Subclass 417 And 462) Visas
New Ballot System Introduced
A ballot system will be introduced for second and third year Working Holiday Visas (WHV). Applicants will still be expected to complete the existing regional work requirement (88 days to qualify for a second year WHV, and six months to qualify for a third year WHV), to be eligible for the ballot entry.
The second year WHV ballot will be capped at 45,000 places (down from 57,000 in 2025/26).
The third year WHV ballot Year will be capped at 5,000 places (down from around 31,000 in 2025/26).
The introduction of a ballot system means that obtaining a further WHV visa will no longer be assured (i.e. no longer automatic eligibility subject to satisfying the regional work requirement, which was the case before these changes where announced).
Employers with WHV makers (in their first year), especially regional employers who rely in large part on the backpacker workforce to fill critical labour shortages, going forward, should consider employer sponsorship options for WHV holders early, to ensure that they have the labour they need to carry out their business operations. You can no longer wait the three years; plan early as the second and third year WHV are no longer guaranteed. Likewise, for WHV holders in their first year; if you seek to remain in Australia after the year is up, you can no longer rely on the WHV 3-year pathway. Explore your visa options, such as skilled visas, early in the process.
Visa Processing For WHV
Processing for WHV applications will return to normal for applicants with the regional requirements already met.
For UK applicants, as they are not required to undertake regional work under the Free Trade Agreement, processing will remain slower to address the large growth in this cohort, which has grown from 17,000 pre-COVID to 80,000 onshore currently.
Visitor Visa Changes Announced
No Further Stay (Visa Condition 8503)
A No Further Stay condition will apply to all future visitor visa grants, blocking further onshore applications for most visas, with the exception of protection visa applications. Visitor visa holders will need to depart Australia upon visa expiry.
These changes will not affect visitor visas that have already been granted, or those already in Australia who hold a visitor visa.
This measure has been introduced to reduce the number of people arriving in Australia and lodging onshore applications, including for the Subclass 820/801 onshore partner visa.
The Minister indicated that this should make it easier for genuine visitors to obtain Visitor visas, including subclass 309/100 offshore partner visa applicants, who should be able to more easily be granted visitor visas for extended periods to visit their partner in Australia under these changes.
If you intend to apply for a visitor visa and later seek to change your status onshore by applying for another visa, you will need to re-evaluate those plans as a result of these measures.
Skilled Visas
Migration Points Test
A new Points Test will be introduced with more weight to be given to housing and construction trade qualifications. It was previously mentioned by the Department of Home Affairs that a Points Test reform is likely to take place in March 2027.
Qualified tradespeople in high-demand areas such as housing construction will score points broadly comparable to a university qualification.
Processing Priority – Ministerial Direction 119 (MD 119)
The Government has announced that the priority framework under MD 119, which determines the processing priority of certain skilled visa applications, will include key sectors such as healthcare, construction, education, law enforcement, defence, resources, agriculture, aquaculture and fishing.
Protection Visas
Although the Minister noted that addressing disingenuous protection visa claims would require legislation, he provided no further detail at this stage.
Ministerial Direction 110 (MD 110)
This MD, which deals with character and conduct, is to be updated to strengthen protections for child crime victims, family violence victims and eliminating hatred.
Visa Overstayers
Stronger action will be taken on those who overstay on their visa, with detention to followed by voluntary departure within weeks. This will return to the pre-2015 detention model, with detention capabilities to be increased, to be supported by 100 additional compliance officers and 250 new detention beds.
Mandatory visa cancellations are not likely, as the Minister noted that the Government does not seek to see simple overstayers confined with criminals awaiting deportation.
If you hold an expired visa, we strongly recommend that you urgently seek professional advice.
Registered Migration Agents
The Government is seeking to strengthen regulation of RMAs by targeting rogue migration agents who knowingly support visa applications without merit, by imposing heavy sanctions or deregistering agents for encouraging non-genuine onshore visa applications.
What Should You Do Now?
Keep in mind that at this stage, these measures are simply announcements, which reflect the Government’s intentions. For several measures, updated Ministerial Directions, regulations and Departmental policy will determine exactly how they operate. Further changes will also require legislation.
At PAX Migration Australia, we will continue to monitor the progress of these reforms and provide updates as further details are released.