The government has announced, here and here, that, effective October 2, 2026, there are new rules for Student visa (subclass 500) and Student Guardian (subclass 590) visas. The rules change who can apply for and be granted a visa while in Australia, and whether family members can be included.
These changes were mentioned on September 17, 2026 in the government’s announcement of its planned migration policy changes.
The changes may affect those who are:
- applying for a Student visa while in Australia;
- a Student visa holder applying for another Student visa;
- thinking about including family members in their Student visa application;
- considering whether family members can join them later.
Onshore Student visa applications will be limited to genuine cases:
- Most temporary visa holders, including Working Holiday Maker and Skills in Demand visa holders, will no longer be able to apply for a Student visa in Australia.
- Student visa holders seeking another onshore Student visa must demonstrate genuine course progression.
- Limited exemptions will apply, including for school and PhD students, and students affected by provider default or course deferral.
Keeping family settings focused
Student visa applicants will face tighter rules on including partners and children. Limited exemptions will apply to: PhD students; nationals of Pacific and ASEAN member countries; and students sponsored by Australian or foreign governments.
Families already together in Australia will not be separated; therefore, eligible Student visa holders applying for a new onshore visa may include only family members already in the country.
In these limited circumstances in which family members are able to accompany a student, applicants will need to apply at the time the primary student applies, as the ability of any students to add ‘subsequent entrants’ has now been removed for all students.
Similar restrictions will apply to Temporary Graduate visas. The changes will not separate families already in Australia where family members hold Student or Temporary Graduate visas as secondary applicants.
Closing transfer loopholes
From mid-2027, international students seeking to change providers after arriving in Australia will need to apply through a new Student visa transfer stream.
The new stream will prevent transfers to lower-level courses that bypass evidence requirements and disrupt the business models of providers targeting students with low-cost or lower-quality courses after they arrive in Australia.
Effective October 2, 2026, as a transition measure until June 30, 2027 when the new transfer visa takes effect, the Government has amended the rules restricting overseas student transfers between providers, so that non-school students must remain in their principal course for 12 months before seeking a transfer, up from six months.
School students will remain subject to the existing six-month restriction for their first registered school course.
Transfers will still be allowed in exceptional circumstances or where a provider or course ceases to be registered.
From July 1, 2027, students applying for a new Student visa in the transfer stream will have to have received their new visa before they can commence study at a new provider; the end date of their new visa will remain the same.
The reforms only allow transfers at the same or a higher level on the Australian Qualifications Framework and students will no longer be able to come to Australia to study Higher Education and transfer onshore to VET.
Further information is available here.
Erickson Insights & Analysis
Erickson Immigration Group will continue to monitor developments and share updates as more news becomes available. Please contact your employer or EIG attorney if you have questions about anything we’re reporting above or if you have case-specific questions.