Labor targets ‘visa hopping’ international students in crackdown on ‘permanently temporary’ migration
Summary
The Australian Labor government is introducing new rules to stop international students from frequently changing their visas to remain in the country longer. The rules will also target migration agents and lawyers who help people make false visa claims.Key Facts
- International students must soon apply for a separate visa if they want to change their study course.
- Students can no longer transfer to a lower-level course, like moving from a university degree to a vocational program.
- From July 1, 2027, student visas will not be extended just for changing courses.
- Students cannot transfer courses within the first 12 months of their study.
- The government wants to reduce annual net overseas migration from nearly 300,000 to 225,000 by 2028.
- Over 400,000 people are on temporary "bridging visas," many of them international students awaiting decisions on new visas.
- New rules aim to stop migration agents and lawyers from making or supporting visa claims that have no real legal or factual basis.
- Some lawyers have been accused of promoting false claims to keep people in Australia longer, damaging trust in the migration system.
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