For thousands of international students, Australia just became a lonelier place to study.
On Wednesd,Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke confirmed a major shift in migration policy most foreign students will no longer be allowed to bring their partners and children with them.
Until now, spouses and de facto partners could live and work in Australia while their loved one studied, with working hours tied to the course, and dependent children under 18 could come too.
Under the new rules, secondary applicants will be blocked on almost all student visas.
There will be narrow exceptions for PhD researchers and some students from Pacific Island nations and South East Asia.
The government says the overhaul is about sustainability, not politics.
The goal is to bring annual net overseas migration down to 225,000 by 2028, from about 306,000 currently, returning to pre-pandemic levels.
Burke rejected suggestions the timing was linked to the surge of hard right One Nation, which this week proposed slashing temporary migrants by 750,000 to give Australians “breathing space.”
The package also includes a ballot system for working holiday visa extensions, a strict “no further stay” condition on all visitor visas, and 100 extra compliance officers to deal with overstayers.
