New Student Visa Rules Take Effect Today

From 2 October 2026, Australia's student visa program has new integrity rules. The changes aim to ensure Student visas are used for their main purpose: temporary stay for study. Most temporary visa holders, including Working Holiday Makers and Skills in Demand visa holders, can no longer apply for a Student visa while in Australia. Existing Student visa holders can only apply for another Student visa onshore if they show genuine course progression, with limited exceptions for school and PhD students. Student visa applicants now face stricter rules about bringing family members. Partners and children can only be included in limited cases, such as for PhD students, Pacific and ASEAN nationals, or government-sponsored students. Families already in Australia together will not be separated. Students can no longer add family members after their visa is granted—any family members must be included in the original application. A new Student visa transfer stream will be introduced in 2027. For more details, see the Home Affairs media release.