International students, so-called "visa hoppers" and backpackers will be targeted under stricter rules announced by Australia on Thursday in a bid to curb immigration.
The new rules were revealed by Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke who said that while immigration was a "strength" of Australia, there needed to be a "high level of control".
In a speech titled "The work of managing the migration program: who arrives, who stays, who leaves", Burke revealed a set of changes as the government aims to bring net overseas migration to 225,000 people by 2028.
New figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics on Thursday showed Australia's population grew 1.4% in the 12 months to March 2026 to 27.9m.
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Summarized version
New figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics on Thursday showed Australia's population grew 1.4% in the 12 months to March 2026 to 27.9m.
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Headline check
Headline as published: International students, 'visa hoppers' and backpackers targeted in Australia migration crackdown
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The article, shortened and in plain language
International students, so-called "visa hoppers" and backpackers will be targeted under stricter rules announced by Australia on Thursday in a bid to curb immigration.
Foreign students will no longer be able to bring their families with them and those who want to extend their stay must choose a higher qualification.
Rules will also be stricter for working holiday visas - commonly used by backpackers and a labour source for the agricultural sector - with a ballot system although these changes will not affect the UK.
The new rules were revealed by Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke who said that while immigration was a "strength" of Australia, there needed to be a "high level of control".
PhD students would also be able to bring their families as they were in different life circumstances to undergraduates, Burke said.
In a speech titled "The work of managing the migration program: who arrives, who stays, who leaves", Burke revealed a set of changes as the government aims to bring net overseas migration to 225,000 people by 2028.
Students who want to go "up the scale" will be allowed, Burke said, for example, if a student finishes a bachelor's degree and then wants to complete a masters.
New figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics on Thursday showed Australia's population grew 1.4% in the 12 months to March 2026 to 27.9m.
The party, which won its first lower house seat in May, also wants to cap net overseas immigration to 130,000, drawing a rebuke from Burke who said such a proposal would risk "smashing parts of the Australian economy".
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