More student visa restrictions commence 2 October 2026; Skilled processing priority shake-up (again)

More student visa restrictions commence 2 October 2026; Skilled processing priority shake-up (again)

Further restrictions on student visa applications begin on 2 October 2026, which is a major pillar of recent reforms to Australia’s immigration program, closing a loophole that allowed an applicant to return and obtain a bridging visa to await an outcome. This follows new Ministerial Directions for skilled visa processing priorities.

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Ballots, no-further-stay conditions and student visa limits: Migration reforms explained

Ballots, no-further-stay conditions and student visa limits: Migration reforms explained

Yesterday, the government outlined a broad migration reform package aimed at reducing net overseas migration, with proposed changes to visitor visa conditions, student and graduate visa restrictions, working holiday maker ballots, skilled visa priorities and a tweak to the points test.

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Budget 2026–27: Tweaks, Not a Reset, for Immigration

Budget 2026–27: Tweaks, Not a Reset, for Immigration

The Federal Budget handed down last night has few surprises for Australia’s immigration program. Permanent migration will favour onshore visa holders, and net overseas migration is expected to slide.

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