On October 1, 2026, Australia’s Labor government implemented new student visa regulations that require most temporary visa holders to leave the country to apply for a new student visa. The changes also restrict adding partners and dependent children to existing student visas, with limited exemptions.
Students Face Visa Expiry Before Course Completion
Masters student Fatima Bonna from Bangladesh, studying early childhood education at the Ikon Institute in Adelaide, now faces visa expiry in September 2027, four months before her course ends. Changes in visa rules following her change in degree and institution have disrupted her ability to finish her studies onshore. Similarly, Indonesian PhD candidate Wina Satria
at the University of Sydney cannot add her husband to her visa as previously planned, complicating family reunification.
Key Visa Changes Require Offshore Applications and Limit Dependents
The reforms mandate that student visa holders must travel offshore to renew or apply for new student visas when their current visas expire. All students are barred from adding secondary applicants, including partners and dependent children, after the visa is granted from October 1, 2026. Exceptions exist for applicants from Pacific and ASEAN countries and PhD students bringing dependents, though PhD students themselves still face restrictions.
Visa Processing Times and Migration Targets
According to the Department of Home Affairs, 50% of subclass 500 student visa applications for higher
education are processed within 16 days, and 90% within four months. The new visa rules form part of efforts to reduce net overseas migration from nearly 300,000 annually to a target of 225,000 by mid-2028.
Government and Agent Perspectives on Risks and Exceptions
Julian Hill, assistant minister for international education, stated the government is “not in the business of separating families already onshore in Australia” and that visitor visas may be granted sympathetically to keep families together during students’ stays. Migration agent Gurpreet Dhawan from Melbourne warned that requiring students to lodge visa applications offshore poses risks and uncertainty over processing times. She said, “They have done everything
correctly as per the law until 1 October. They woke up on 2 October and their life is upside down.”
Emotional and Logistical Impacts on Students
Students report significant emotional and logistical challenges due to the sudden visa changes. Bonna said, “I don’t want to be humiliated, I don’t want to be told that ‘you are the reason for our housing crisis’, because I am paying for it … and I am happy to go back to my country after getting the experience.” Satria described the difficulty of family separation: “The hardest part is seeing my son when he misses his dad a lot.” Daniel Martin,
a Colombian master’s graduate, expressed uncertainty about his future amid instability in the visa system.
Educational Institutions and Political Climate Influence Changes
Universities are struggling to fill international student places amid visa unpredictability and political pressure. The Coalition and One Nation parties have targeted international student migration, adding to uncertainty. The government’s reforms aim to reduce “permanently temporary” migration and uphold the integrity of the student visa program.
