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The Australian Government has announced a significant change to Australia’s migration system that will affect international students, particularly those planning to bring their spouse, partner or dependent children to Australia.
On 17 September 2026, Minister for Home Affairs and Immigration Tony Burke announced that the Government intends to restrict the ability of international students and Temporary Graduate visa holders to attach family members to their visas. The measure forms part of a wider package aimed at changing who arrives in Australia, who is able to remain and how temporary visa pathways operate.
Under the announced policy, international students will generally no longer have the same ability to attach family members to their student visas. Similar restrictions are also planned for graduate visas. The Government’s official migration-policy update describes the measure as “restricting secondary applicants on most student visas.”
Secondary applicants can include eligible family members such as a spouse or partner and dependent children. The change therefore has potentially significant implications for students who intend to move to Australia together with their families.
Tony Burke said the Government would no longer generally allow family members to be attached to international student or graduate visas. However, he also made clear that the policy contains exceptions and that families who are already in Australia under existing arrangements would not simply be separated by the change.
However, it is important to distinguish between the policy announcement and the detailed rules applying to an individual visa application. Home Affairs says the broader migration changes have begun to be implemented and will be progressively rolled out over the following 12个月.
Students should therefore check the rules applying at the time they lodge their application rather than assuming that every element of the announcement is already operating in its final form.
The Government has announced that special visa conditions will continue to allow family members for students from ASEAN and Pacific nations, as well as for certain courses such as PhD programs.
The Minister mentioned “the Pacific”, but the announcement itself does not provide a definitive country-by-country list for this particular student-visa exception.
The exemption is not based only on nationality. The Government has also said that students undertaking certain courses, with PhD courses specifically mentioned, will continue to be able to bring family members.
The announcement on 17 September establishes the Government’s policy direction, but implementation is occurring progressively.
The Department of Home Affairs says the migration package has begun to be implemented and will be progressively rolled out over the next 12 months.
This distinction is important for students who are currently preparing an application. The rules that apply to a person will depend on the visa requirements and legal instruments in force at the relevant time, rather than simply the date on which the Government announced the policy.
The Government has also addressed people who already have family members in Australia. Burke said that people who already have family attached to their visa and are already in Australia would not have their families separated onshore as a result of this announcement.
Prospective students who intend to bring their spouse, partner or children should therefore closely monitor Home Affairs announcements as further details become available.
Under the announced changes, secondary applicants on most student visas will face greater restrictions. However, special arrangements have been announced for certain countries and courses.
Depending on the applicable visa requirements, family members may include an eligible spouse or de facto partner and dependent children.
The Government has announced special arrangements for students from ASEAN nations. The detailed implementation rules will determine how these arrangements apply to individual applicants.
ASEAN includes Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
PhD study was specifically mentioned by the Government as an example of courses where arrangements allowing students to bring family members would continue.
The Government has indicated that the changes are not intended to separate families already in Australia with family members attached to their existing visas.
The migration reforms are being progressively implemented. Individual measures may therefore have different commencement dates.
The Government’s announcement also referred to restrictions on attaching family members to graduate visas. Detailed requirements should be checked as implementation progresses.
The Government has linked the reforms to broader migration management, housing pressures and ensuring temporary visa pathways operate according to their intended purpose.
Check the Australian Department of Home Affairs for the latest visa requirements and implementation updates.
免责声明： This article provides general information about Australian Government migration policy announcements as of 23 September 2026. Some measures are being progressively implemented and detailed requirements may change. This information should not be treated as individual migration or legal advice. Check Official Announcement here.
