Migration Changes Announced 17 September 2026

The Government has unveiled major adjustments to Australia’s migration settings, announced by Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke in a speech to the National Press Club on 17 September 2026. The reforms are broad in scope, touching areas including skilled migration, Working Holiday visas, student and Temporary Graduate pathways, visitors, partner visa applications, and measures aimed at visa compliance. The Government says implementation has already started, with a progressive rollout over the following 12 months.

According to Minister Burke, the changes are designed to reduce Net Overseas Migration (NOM) to 245,000 in 2026–27 and then to 225,000 annually from 2027–28. This is a significant reduction from 292,100 for the year to March 2026. The Government framed the approach as a “softening” of net arrivals intended to ease pressure on the housing market as supply works to catch up with demand.

A key focus of the announcements is tackling “visa-hopping” described as switching between temporary visas and making use of appeals to effectively stay in Australia beyond the purpose of the original visa. The Minister clarified that the policy is not intended to prevent legitimate pathways, such as moving from a student visa to a graduate visa, then to a skilled visa, and ultimately to citizenship.

Further reforms are expected as negotiations continue with the Opposition over proposals that will require new legislation to be passed by Parliament. So far, the measures outlined rely on ministerial directions, regulatory changes, and updated interpretations of immigration policy rather than new laws.

Planned Visa Changes

Student and Temporary Graduate Visa Updates

Secondary applicants
Under the reforms, most new students and Temporary Graduate visa applicants will no longer be able to bring secondary visa holders to Australia. Existing primary visa holders who are already in Australia with secondary visa applicants will not be affected.

However, exceptions have been flagged for students from Pacific and ASEAN countries, and for those undertaking postgraduate study (including PhDs).

Course transfers
The Government says genuine students will still be able to apply for new student visas to progress to higher qualification levels for example, moving from a bachelor’s degree to a master’s degree.

Transfers to lower-tier providers would require a new visa application, including meeting relevant visa conditions (noted as visa condition 8202 in the Government’s update). The changes also indicate students will be expected to move upward to a higher-level qualification, rather than re-enrol at the same level or drop to a lower level.

Working Holiday Maker (Subclass 417 and 462) Changes

A ballot system for second and third-year WHVs
A new ballot will apply to second- and third-year Working Holiday visa applications. Applicants will still need to complete the existing regional work requirements—88 days for eligibility for a second-year WHV, and six months for eligibility for a third-year WHV—before being able to enter the ballot.

The Government also set new numerical limits:

• The second-year WHV ballot will be capped at 45,000 places, reduced from 57,000 in 2025/26.
• The third-year WHV ballot will be capped at 5,000 places, down from roughly 31,000 in 2025/26.

With the ballot system in place, approval for an additional WHV will no longer be guaranteed. In other words, meeting the regional work requirement will not automatically translate into eligibility for the next visa stage, unlike before the announced changes.

This shift is likely to affect employers that rely on backpacker labour to fill workforce needs, particularly in regional areas. The Government’s message suggests businesses should consider planning for this now potentially exploring employer sponsorship pathways rather than assuming a continued three-year WHV route.

WHV processing where regional work is already met
Processing is expected to return to normal for applicants who have already satisfied the regional work requirements.

For UK applicants, processing will remain slower because UK nationals are not required to undertake the regional work due to the Free Trade Agreement. The Minister pointed to significant growth in the UK applicant cohort, rising from around 17,000 pre-COVID to about 80,000 currently onshore.

Visitor Visa Announcement

No Further Stay (visa condition 8503)
A “No Further Stay” condition will apply to all future visitor visa grants. The effect of this condition is intended to prevent most onshore applications for further visas, with the exception noted as protection visa applications. Visitor visa holders would be expected to leave Australia when their visa expires.

The condition would not apply to visitor visas already granted, nor to people currently in Australia who already hold a visitor visa.

The Minister said this measure is intended to reduce the number of people arriving in Australia and then lodging onshore applications, including for the Subclass 820/801 onshore partner visa.

At the same time, the Government argued this may improve access for “genuine visitors,” making it easier for visitor visas to be granted for people who truly intend to visit such as those applying offshore for extended stays (including subclass 309/100 partner visa related visitor pathways to see a partner in Australia).

For those planning to apply for a visitor visa and later seek to change their status onshore by applying for a different visa, the announcement signals the need to reconsider those plans under the new approach.

Skilled Migration Changes

New migration points test
A revised Points Test is expected to place greater emphasis on housing and construction trade qualifications. The Department of Home Affairs had previously indicated that points reform was likely around March 2027.

The Government says qualified tradespeople in high-demand areas such as housing construction will score points in a way described as broadly comparable to a university qualification.

 Processing priority update (Ministerial Direction 119)

The Government also announced adjustments to the processing priority framework under Ministerial Direction 119 (MD 119). The revised priority categories would include key sectors such as healthcare, construction, education, law enforcement, defence, resources, agriculture, aquaculture and fishing.

Protection Visas
The Minister indicated that responding to disingenuous protection visa claims would require legislation but did not provide further details at the time of the announcement.

Ministerial Direction 110 (character and conduct)

Ministerial Direction 110 (MD 110), which relates to character and conduct, is expected to be updated to strengthen protections for child crime victims and family violence victims, as well as measures aiming to eliminate hatred.

Visa Overstayers
The Government signaled stronger enforcement for visa overstayers. The proposed approach includes detention followed by voluntary departure within weeks, described as returning to the pre-2015 detention model. The plan also includes expanded capacity, including additional compliance officers and more detention beds.

The Minister suggested mandatory cancellation of visas is unlikely, noting the Government does not want people who have overstayed to be held with criminals while awaiting deportation.

Anyone holding an expired visa was advised to seek urgent professional advice.

Registered Migration Agents
The Government said it intends to strengthen regulation of Registered Migration Agents (RMAs). The focus will be on targeting rogue agents who knowingly support visa applications without merit, including by imposing heavy sanctions or deregistering agents who encourage non-genuine onshore visa applications.

What people should do now
At this stage, the measures are still announcements and intentions how they operate in practice will depend on updated ministerial directions, regulations, and departmental policy. Some reforms will require legislation as the process continues, especially where Opposition negotiation outcomes are involved.

IMMIGATE has indicated it will continue monitoring the rollout and will provide updates as further details are released. Feel free to contact us for any questions you may have.