Australia will bar foreign students from bringing spouses and children while studying and tighten rules for temporary migrants switching visas, local media reported Thursday ahead of a ministerial speech on immigration changes.
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke is expected to announce at the National Press Club that Australia will cut net overseas migration to 225,000 by 2028, from around 300,000 currently, ABC News reported. Burke’s office has yet to respond to requests for comment.
Under current rules, international students can bring dependent children under 18 to Australia, while their partners are permitted to work, with the number of hours allowed depending on the student’s course of study.
The government’s move follows a proposal from the hard‑right One Nation party, which has gained in recent polls. This week, the party pledged to reduce temporary migrants by 750,000 over three years to give Australians “breathing space.” One Nation, which promotes an “Australia first” agenda and has drawn comparisons to US President Donald Trump’s policies, said it would then aim to cap net migration at 130,000, subject to annual review.
Australia’s migration intake — driven largely by international students, backpackers, and temporary skilled workers — surged after borders reopened in February 2022 following nearly two years of COVID‑19 restrictions. Numbers have trended lower over the past two years, though critics argue the influx has strained housing, infrastructure, and social cohesion.
Official data show that Australia’s net overseas migration stood at 306,000 in the 12 months to 30 June 2025. International students made up more than half of the total number of net migrants during the period.
The figure marked a significant decline from 429,000 recorded in 2024. Net overseas migration had reached a peak of 518,000 in 2023 before falling in the following two years.
