Studying in Australia With Your Loved Ones? Key Points From the Upcoming Visa Reforms

News · 2026-09-16 · 4 min read

For many students, the dream of studying in Australia has always included the people they love — a husband or wife, the kids, sometimes other relatives. If that is your plan too, now is a good time to slow down and look closely at what is coming, because Australia's immigration settings are about to change in a big way.

Family Members May No Longer Come Along

This Thursday, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke is expected to announce major reforms that would make it much harder for international students to bring a spouse, children or other relatives to Australia. In his speech at the National Press Club, he will explain how the government plans to shift several visa categories away from open-ended, demand-driven settings and towards tighter numbers controlled by the government.

To show the scale: in the last year Australia approved over 337,000 student visas, and roughly 45,000 of these went to family members travelling with a student. Under the new approach, most students will be expected to come and study on their own.

What Pushed the Government to Act

Support for One Nation has been growing, driven largely by public worry about migration numbers, and this has pushed Labor to move on changes it had been holding back for weeks. The National Press Club address was first planned more than a month ago, but it was cancelled at the last minute because cabinet members disagreed on how tough the reforms should be.

The target is a big one. The government wants Net Overseas Migration (NOM) to fall from about 305,000 to 225,000 within two years, while keeping room for around 185,000 permanent migrants every year. It is worth knowing that NOM has already dropped for seven straight quarters since late 2023, and projections suggest it could go below pre-pandemic levels by 2027-28.

More Than Just Student Families

The plans reach beyond family visas. The reforms are also expected to cover:

Stopping visa-hopping — closing gaps that allow people whose visas have expired to switch into another visa category and stay longer
Quicker removals — simplifying appeals so that unsuccessful applicants depart sooner
People without a valid visa — as of July, nearly 111,000 unlawful non-citizens were at some stage of deportation or review, so this area is expected to get more attention

Parliament or Departmental Powers?

Last week, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese tried to reach an agreement with Opposition Leader Angus Taylor so the changes would have support from both sides of Parliament. Those talks broke down. As a result, Labor may have to rely on regulatory powers and departmental directives instead of new laws if legislation is not possible, especially as Albanese travels to the UN General Assembly in New York this Friday.

Voices Raising Concerns

Independent Senator David Pocock wants the debate to go beyond numbers. He is calling for a real 10-year migration strategy that balances skills needs with housing and environmental pressures.
Business groups, speaking through ACCI chief Andrew McKellar, say the true problem is housing supply and skills shortages, not migration, and that lower migration will not solve either one.
One Nation wants much deeper cuts, proposing to remove 750,000+ temporary migrants over three years. Universities, aged care providers and both major parties have criticised this plan as harmful to the economy.

Your Checklist If Family Is Part of Your Study Plan

If you were hoping to bring your partner or children while you study in Australia, the chance to do this under the current rules may be closing quickly. Here are some practical steps:

Follow the details of Thursday's announcement, especially which visa subclasses are affected and when the changes start.
Think carefully about timing. Applications lodged before the new rules apply may be grandfathered under the existing settings.
Look at other pathways. Skilled migration or partner visa routes may give more stability than student dependent visas in future.
Talk to a registered migration agent before making any decision you cannot undo about study plans that depend on your family coming with you.

Keeping Your Family at the Centre

This situation is changing fast, and the full picture will only be clear once Burke's announcement is out and the legislative details follow. Whether you are applying from the Philippines, from a job overseas, or from anywhere else, take your time, check official sources, and make choices that keep your family's future secure.

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