Australia is tightening rules for international students, so-called “visa hoppers” and backpackers as the government seeks to reduce immigration. Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke announced the measures on Thursday, saying migration was a strength but required a “high level of control.”

Under the changes, international students will generally no longer be able to bring family members with them. Exemptions will apply to students already in Australia and applicants from Pacific and South-East Asian countries, while PhD students will remain eligible to bring their families, according to Burke.

The government also plans to restrict “visa hopping”, in which students complete one course and then apply for another, sometimes at a lower qualification level. Burke said students would be allowed to progress to a higher qualification, such as moving from a bachelor’s degree to a master’s degree, but not automatically continue into lower-level courses.

Working holiday visa rules will also change for people aged 18 to 30 who seek second- or third-year visas. Those qualifying for a second year will enter a ballot capped at 45,000 places, compared with 57,000 people who qualified last year. The third-year ballot will be capped at 5,000, down from 31,000 qualifiers last year. British working holidaymakers are excluded from the changes under the UK’s free trade agreement with Australia.

The measures accompany a government target to reduce net overseas migration from more than 300,000 to 225,000 by 2028. Australian Bureau of Statistics figures cited in the report showed population growth of 1.4% in the year to March 2026, reaching 27.9 million, including net overseas migration of 292,100.

Migration has become a major political issue amid concerns about living costs, housing affordability and pressure on public services. Violet Roumeliotis of Settlement Services International said the debate was increasingly driven by “short-term politics” and warned that restrictions on student families could make it harder for Australia to attract future talent.