Australia is introducing a series of measures to reduce migration, including tighter rules for international students, backpackers and temporary visa holders.
The government’s move follows growing pressure from the hard-right One Nation party, which said it would seek to cut the number of temporary migrants by 750,000 over three years to give Australians “breathing space”.
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke rejected suggestions that the reforms were politically motivated by One Nation, which promotes an “Australia first” approach and has policies that have been compared with those of US President Donald Trump.
“It’s simply demonstrably wrong to suspect that somehow this is a recent bit of work done to deal with a political climate — it’s not,” Burke told reporters.
The reforms are expected to reduce annual net migration to around 225,000 by 2028, broadly returning it to pre-pandemic levels from about 300,000 currently. Immigration and the cost of living have remained among the leading concerns for Australian voters in recent opinion polls.
Burke also announced tougher enforcement against visa overstayers, including the recruitment of 100 additional compliance officers. The government is also considering using a pandemic-era quarantine facility in Melbourne to accommodate immigration detainees.
“If you want to come on a temporary basis to Australia, apply for a temporary visa. If you want to come to Australia permanently, apply for a permanent visa. And if you no longer have a valid visa, you should leave Australia,” he said.
Under the new measures, backpackers seeking to extend their working holiday visas will be selected through a ballot system.
All visitor visas will also include a “no further stay” condition, preventing holders from remaining in Australia while applying for another visa category, including a partner visa.
International students will only be allowed to renew their student visas if they progress to a higher qualification level. Students from some Pacific Island nations and Southeast Asian countries will be allowed to bring their partners and children, while secondary applicants will be barred from most student visas.
At present, spouses and partners of international students can work in Australia, although the permitted working hours depend on the student’s course of study.
International education contributed A$53.6 billion to the Australian economy in the year to June 2025, making it the country’s fourth-largest export industry. Despite its economic importance, international students have remained a major focus of the Labor government’s efforts to reduce migration.
Student visa application fees have increased by nearly 300 per cent over the past four years to A$2,500. The government has also tightened English-language requirements and minimum savings thresholds for graduate visa applicants.
Luke Sheehy, chief executive of Universities Australia, criticised the proposed changes, saying they could undermine confidence in the country’s international education sector.
Migration increased sharply after Australia reopened its borders in February 2022 following almost two years of Covid-19 restrictions. International students, backpackers and temporary workers were among the main drivers of the increase.
However, migration levels have fallen over the past two years. Net overseas migration reached 306,000 in the year to June 30, 2025, with international students accounting for more than half of the total, down from a peak of 518,000 in 2023.
