The federal government has announced a shake-up of Australia's migration system, with visa-hoppers, overstayers, students, and backpackers targeted in the enforcement action.
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke unveiled the changes during a National Press Club address on Thursday, following weeks of delay, debate and speculation.
Burke began his speech by highlighting the contribution of migration to Australia, but acknowledging there were problems with the current policy settings.
Burke said the reforms are split into three parts: who arrives, who stays and who leaves.
Among the most consequential changes are those affecting students, backpackers, visa overstayers and visa hoppers.
International students and those on graduate visas will no longer be able to bring family members with them to Australia, with some exceptions for PhD students and some Pacific and ASEAN students.
As part of a so-called "visa-hopping" enforcement action, Burke said the government will introduce a qualification scale, meaning only foreign students transferring to higher-level courses (bachelor's to master's for example) will be able to extend their visas.
Only 45,000 working holiday-makers will be able to stay in Australia for a second year, and only 5,000 for a third year — down from 57,000 and 31,000 respectively.
The government is trying to bring Australia's Net Overseas Migration, which represents population growth due to migration, down from 292,100 to 245,000 in the year to July 2027 and 225,000 each year thereafter, and to curb visa-hopping, "rorting" and "gaming" the system.
Kon Karapanagiotidis, CEO and founder of the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, said the announced changes marked "a dark day for multicultural Australia".