VisaEnvoy

17/09/2026

Big changes announced today. Immigration Minister Tony Burke has unveiled a new package of migration reforms at the National Press Club. Here's what's changing:

✅ No more family members on new student and graduate visas (exceptions for Pacific, ASEAN and PhD applicants)
✅ Second and third working holiday visas move to a ballot: 45,000 and 5,000 places
✅ "No further stay" condition on future visitor visas, closing the visitor-to-onshore-partner route
✅ New skilled points test, with housing trades scoring the same as a university degree
✅ Student course changes limited to moving up the qualification scale
✅ Priority processing for construction, agriculture, fisheries, resources and teaching
✅ Return to pre-2015 compliance for overstayers

If you're already in Australia on a visa, or your family is already here, these changes don't affect you. Start dates are still to be confirmed.

We've broken down what each change means for students, working holiday makers, couples, skilled applicants and employers, and what you should do now 👇

26/08/2026

Australian Visa Changes from 1 July 2026
From 1 July 2026, the Australian Government has rolled out a wide-reaching set of changes affecting visa applicants, sponsoring employers and citizenship applicants. These include higher visa application charges, increased salary thresholds for employer-sponsored visas, updated Working Holiday Visa rules, and higher review and court fees.

Australian Visa Changes from 1 July 2026: Higher Fees, New Income Thresholds and Working Holiday Updates

09/05/2026

Skilled Partner Points and Changes in Marital Status for Subclass 190 Visa Applicants

Changing your marital status after receiving a Subclass 190 invitation could put your visa application at risk. Recent refusals show that applicants who received points as “single” may not be able to later switch to claiming skilled partner points after marriage or entering a de facto relationship.

Before lodging your visa application, make sure you understand how changes in your circumstances can affect your points eligibility.

Read more at VisaEnvoy.

Skilled Partner Points and Changes in Marital Status for Subclass 190 Visa Applicants