Australia tightens visa rules for foreign students and working holidaymakers, Asean nations are exempt

SYDNEY: Migration curbs announced by Australia’s ruling Labour Party on Thursday (Sept 17) will target international students and working holidaymakers, but a new ban on foreign students bringing family members to the country will not apply to those from Asean nations.

The exemption is due to the Australian government’s efforts to boost ties with its regional neighbours.

The long-awaited new migration rules, which also target “visa hopping” by international students who switch courses to stay in the country, come as Labour attempts to stem surging support for anti-migrant populist Pauline Hanson.

The government intends to cut the overall migration intake from the current level of about 300,000 a year to 245,000 in the year from mid-2026 to mid-2027, and to 225,000 in the following 12 months.