Minister for Immigration and Citizenship Tony Burke has announced a package of migration reforms structured around who arrives, who stays, and who leaves, aimed at reducing Net Overseas Migration (NOM) while better targeting the program to Australia’s economic and workforce needs.
Migration numbers:
- NOM has fallen to 292,000, down 47% from the post-COVID peak in 2023.
- Budget forecasts target NOM of 245,000 by the end of this financial year, and 225,000 by 2027–28.
Who arrives (new arrivals into Australia):
- The skilled visa points test has been redesigned. Housing-related trades (such as construction) will now score the same points as a university qualification.
- Ministerial Direction 119 has been updated to prioritise visa processing for key sectors: healthcare, construction, education, law enforcement, defence, resources, agriculture, aquaculture and fishing.
- International students and graduate visa holders can no longer add secondary or family applicants to most student visas. Exceptions still apply for Pacific and ASEAN nations, and for PhD students.
Who stays (people already in Australia):
- Working Holiday Maker (WHM) visas for years two and three will move to a ballot system. Regional work requirements remain unchanged. WHM processing times will be stabilised to three months.
- All visitor visas will now include a “No Further Stay” condition, ensuring they are used only by genuine visitors — not as a way to extend a stay in Australia.
- Student visa integrity is being strengthened to stop “visa hopping.” Students will now only be able to progress upward in qualification level (for example, from a bachelor’s degree to a master’s), rather than moving sideways or downward between courses.
- Ministerial Direction 110 has been updated to combat hate and criminal behaviour, with stronger protections for child victims of crime and victims of domestic and family violence.
Who leaves (departures and compliance):
- Migration agents who knowingly support non-genuine visa applications will face sanctions or deregistration.
- Compliance measures have been strengthened to ensure people without a valid visa leave the country.
Click here: Department of Home Affairs
