The Australian government announced a series of migration reforms on June 2026 targeting visa hoppers, international students, backpackers, and visa overstayers as it aims to reduce net overseas migration (NOM) to 245,000 in the 2026-27 financial year and 225,000 in 2027-28.
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, net overseas migration eased to 292,000 for the year ending March 2026 from 299,000 in December 2025. The population grew by 1.4 percent to 27.9 million over the same 12-month period.
New enforcement and compliance measures
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke announced plans to repurpose a former quarantine facility in Melbourne as a detention centre to assist
enforcement efforts against foreign nationals overstaying their visas. The government will also hire 100 additional compliance officers to strengthen border and visa enforcement operations.
Burke emphasized that the operation would differ from immigration enforcement models seen in other countries, stating, “This is not the sort of operation that some people have seen on TV happening in other countries.” He condemned the existing “double standard” where individuals applying for visas onshore often remain on bridging visas for extended periods.
Restrictions on international student family visas
The reforms include limitations on dependents and family members accompanying most international students, with exceptions granted to students from Pacific and South
East Asian countries and those enrolled in doctoral (PhD) programs. Last year, about 45,000 student visas were issued to family members or dependents.
The government introduced these changes to curb so-called visa hopping, where students extend their stays through multiple visa applications without progressing academically or economically. Minister Burke stated the government supports immigration but opposes abuses of the system, intending to ensure the migration system better targets Australia’s current needs.
Backpacker visa caps and new conditions
Backpacker visa holders seeking second and third year extensions will face a ballot system limiting the number of extensions granted. The number of second-year visas will be capped at
45,000, down from 57,000, while third-year places will be capped at 5,000, reduced from 31,000. These extensions will require regional work commitments in designated parts of Australia.
However, working holiday visa applicants from the United Kingdom will be excluded from these caps and regional work requirements under existing free trade agreement provisions. The government aims to stabilize working holiday visa processing times at approximately three months, addressing concerns over protracted application procedures that currently vary depending on whether applicants apply onshore or offshore.
Reactions and broader migration context
The Business Chamber of Australia welcomed the prioritization of skilled migrants in healthcare, construction, education, and law
enforcement, encouraging faster visa processing to meet labour market demands. Meanwhile, the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre criticized the reforms for lacking clarity on time restrictions for asylum seekers, warning that migrants and refugees remain political targets.
The opposition criticized Labor’s immigration policy as lacking clarity, while the Greens labelled the reforms a regression to policies associated with former Prime Minister Tony Abbott. Political pressure from the One Nation party, which advocates steep reductions in temporary migrant visas and caps net migration at 130,000, has influenced the government’s policy direction.
Burke highlighted challenges related to immigration growth, stating, “It’s a level
of growth that means we are just, at the moment, going to continue to be processing that one slowly.” The government intends to prioritize skilled visa applicants already in Australia applying for permanent residency over those applying from overseas. New penalties will also be imposed on migration agents found assisting visa fraud.
