17/09/2026
Here are the major points from Tony Burke’s National Press Club announcement today, 17 September 2026, in simple terms. The National Press Club event was specifically about “Who arrives, who stays and who leaves.”
🇦🇺 Tony Burke – Key Migration Changes
* Net overseas migration target: The Government is maintaining its goal of reducing NOM to 245,000 in 2026–27 and 225,000 by 2027–28.
* International student numbers are NOT being directly cut as part of this package. However, major changes are aimed at how students and their families remain in Australia.
* Student dependants/family: International students will effectively lose the ability to bring family members to Australia under the new settings. Last financial year, 45,991 secondary applicants were associated with student visas.
* “Visa hopping” is being targeted: The Government wants to stop temporary visa holders repeatedly moving between visas simply to extend their stay in Australia.
* Temporary visa population: The Government wants to reduce the number of people remaining in Australia on temporary visas and make sure people leave when their lawful stay ends.
* Visitor visas: A No Further Stay condition will be used on visitor visas to restrict people from using a visitor visa as a pathway to another visa while in Australia.
* Protection/bridging visa pathways: The Government is increasing scrutiny of people who remain in Australia through protection claims and subsequent visa/review processes, particularly where claims have been refused.
* Migration agents: There will be stronger action against agents involved in fraudulent or improper visa activity, including additional penalties.
* Working Holiday Maker visas: Second- and third-year applicants will face a ballot system, together with regional-work requirements. The Government also wants processing times brought down to around three months.
* Skilled migration remains targeted: Priority continues for areas including healthcare, construction, education and law enforcement, with improved consideration for areas such as defence, resources, agriculture, aquaculture and fishing.
* Stronger compliance: The Government is putting more emphasis on people without a valid visa departing Australia, rather than allowing prolonged periods of unlawful stay.
The biggest message for international education
This is not a blanket announcement to reduce international student numbers. The bigger change is around dependants, visa switching, prolonged temporary stays and compliance.
For students and education agents, the practical message is:
Student visa → study → graduate/work pathway remains important, but using successive temporary visas simply to remain in Australia, bringing family members through the student pathway, or changing visa categories repeatedly is coming under much greater scrutiny.
One important point: today’s announcement should not automatically be interpreted as every measure taking effect immediately. Some changes will require regulations, visa-condition changes or further implementation details.
