Australia to end family visas for international students

Australia is set to announce major changes to its visa policy for international students. Under new directives, foreign students may lose the opportunity to bring their partners and children with them during their studies. At the same time, the government plans to tighten the rules for temporary migrants changing visas.

The information was reported in Australian media on Thursday, September 17. It is understood the move is part of an overall plan to reduce net international migration.

According to a recent statement by Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke, net overseas migration to Australia will be reduced to 225,000 by 2028. The current figure is around 300,000.

Currently, international students in Australia can, under certain conditions, work part-time and keep children under 18 with them. However, under the proposed new rules, that opportunity will be completely closed.

Analysts and political parties have recently blamed excessive migration for the country's housing crisis, infrastructure pressure and rising cost of living. The government's move to implement a strict immigration policy came shortly after the far-right political party One Nation demanded a dramatic reduction in the number of temporary migrants.

According to statistics, after net migration in Australia peaked at 518,000 in 2023, government measures brought it down to 429,000 in 2024. Although the number has continued to decline in subsequent years, the strict visa policy for international students and their dependents is being enforced to bring overall migration pressure under control.