Labor cuts working holiday visas and bans student family reunions
Labor announced major migration changes. Fewer working holiday visas are available. Students can no longer bring family. About 77,000 overstayers face detention.
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke announced a three-part migration shake-up on Thursday. Foreign students and backpackers face big changes.
Students and graduate visa holders can no longer bring family members to Australia. PhD students and some Pacific and ASEAN students are exempt.
Only students moving to higher-level courses can extend their visas. An example is moving from a bachelor's to a master's degree.
Working holiday visas now have strict caps. Only 45,000 backpackers can stay a second year, down from 57,000.
Only 5,000 can stay a third year, down from 31,000. UK citizens are exempt under their free trade agreement.
About 77,000 overstayers will face tougher sanctions, including detention. Burke said this returns to a pre-2015 model.
Under that model, detention pushed overstayers to arrange their own flights within weeks.
- 45,000 (down from 57,000)
- Working holiday year 2 cap
- 5,000 (down from 31,000)
- Working holiday year 3 cap
- About 77,000
- Overstayers facing detention
- Tony Burke
- Announcing minister
Why it mattersThese changes will affect hundreds of thousands of temporary residents. They will reshape Australia's temporary visa system.
AustraliaStudents and backpackers planning to come to Australia now face tighter rules; overstayers can expect stronger enforcement.
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