Major Changes to Student Visa Applications from 2 October 2026

The Australian Government has introduced significant reforms to the Student visa program, effective 2 October 2026, through the Migration Amendment (Student Visa Reform) Regulations 2026, together with LIN 26/102 and LIN 26/087. These changes substantially restrict who can apply for further Student visas while in Australia and limit the circumstances in which family members can be included in Student visa applications.

These reforms are likely to have a broader impact on many Australian employers as well as the student visa holder themselves. A considerable number of international students currently working in Australia may now have fewer options to remain onshore to continue their studies, maintain work rights, or transition to another visa pathway.

Mapien’s migration leaders attended the Migration Institute of Australia (MIA) National Conference last week where Assistant Minister Julian Hill spoke on the Friday morning, announcing these changes as a way to slow down net overseas migration and stamp out the visa hopping.

Existing Student visa holders must now generally apply offshore.

From 2 October 2026, a person who holds a Student visa (either as a primary or secondary visa holder) and wishes to apply for a further Student visa as a primary applicant must generally be outside Australia when lodging a valid application.

In addition, where Schedule 1 requires an applicant to apply from outside Australia, the applicant must also be offshore when the visa is granted.

This represents a major departure from previous arrangements, which allowed many student visa holders to extend their studies by lodging a further Student visa application from within Australia.

Limited exemptions remain in place to lodge onshore

Certain applicants continue to be eligible to apply onshore, including:

• Defence students
• Foreign Affairs students
• School students

In addition, LIN 26/087 creates limited exemptions for:

• Doctoral students
• Students affected by provider default
• Students completing an existing course within prescribed timeframes
• Students progressing to a higher-level course in specified circumstances.

For all other student visa holders, a further Student visa application will generally require departure from Australia before lodgement.

Family members can no longer be added later

Another significant change affects family inclusion.

Secondary applicants can now only be included in limited circumstances and, importantly, must generally apply:

• at the same time as the primary applicant;
• in the same location; and
• as part of a combined application.

This effectively removes the longstanding ability for many Student visa holders to add a spouse, partner or dependent child as a subsequent entrant after the primary visa has already been granted.

The practical consequence is that:

• family members can no longer be added later as “subsequent entrants” in most cases;
• if one family member is required to apply offshore, all applicants may need to apply offshore; and
• greater planning will be required before initial Student visa applications are lodged.

The reforms also remove the broad “28-day” pathway that previously allowed some former Student visa holders to lodge a further Student visa application after their substantive visa had ceased.

A narrower provision remains where a Student visa cancellation has been set aside by the Administrative Review Tribunal and specific criteria are satisfied. However, most former Student visa holders who no longer hold a substantive visa will now need to apply offshore unless they fall within an exempt class.

Through Migration (Student Visa Applications to Be Made from outside Australia) Instrument 2026 (LIN 26/102), the Government has expanded the list of visa holders who are prohibited from lodging a Student visa application while in Australia.

The newly added visa subclasses are:

• Subclass 400 (Short Stay Specialist)
• Subclass 407 (Training)
• Subclass 408 (Temporary Activity)
• Subclass 417 (Working Holiday)
• Subclass 457 (Temporary Work (Skilled))
• Subclass 462 (Work and Holiday)
• Subclass 482 (Skills in Demand)
• Subclass 482 (Temporary Skill Shortage)

These join several visa subclasses already subject to offshore application requirements, including the Subclass 485 Temporary Graduate visa and Subclass 600 Visitor visa.

These changes are not just relevant to education providers.

Many international students work for Australian employers while studying and may have previously relied on an onshore Student visa application to continue their stay, complete additional studies, maintain work rights, or preserve future migration options.

The reforms that commenced on 2 October 2026 significantly tighten access to onshore Student visa applications and restrict how family members can be included in Student visa programs. For many current Student visa holders, an offshore application will now be required unless a specific exemption applies.

Employers with international student workers should review upcoming visa expiry dates and consider whether affected employees may require alternative visa strategies to remain in Australia such as the Subclass 482 or Subclass 186.

If you have concerns regarding student visa applications, please contact us here and one of immigration experts will be in touch within 24 hours.

Sources: Migration Amendment (Student Visa Reform) Regulations 2026; Migration (Student Visa Applications to Be Made from outside Australia) Instrument 2026 (LIN 26/102); Migration (Class of Persons for Student Visa Applications) Instrument 2026 (LIN 26/087); Migration Institute of Australia legislative update dated 2 October 2026.