Australia has confirmed that new restrictions limiting when international students can bring dependants into the country are now in force, with assistant minister for international education Julian Hill revealing the timing and further details of the government’s wider migration reforms.
Speaking at the National Migration Conference, Hill said the new dependant rules took effect on October 2, meaning most international students will no longer be able to bring family members to Australia unless they fall within a limited group of exemptions.
“From today, students will only be allowed to bring dependent family members in limited circumstances,” said Hill.
The exemptions include PhD students, students receiving Australian or foreign government scholarships, and students from ASEAN or Pacific Island nations.
Students will have to apply for any secondary dependent family members as part of their initial student visa application.
“No students will be permitted to add subsequent entrants after their initial visa is granted,” said Hill.
The government says the measure is aimed at strengthening visa integrity and preventing relationships being used to bring people to Australia after a student has already started their studies.
The changes have not been universally welcomed by the international education sector.
Ian Pratt, managing director of Lexis English, criticised what he described as a pattern of repeated changes to student visa settings, saying: “This is not how competent government manages a major export industry. There is no plan, no long-term strategy and no stable destination.”
Pratt said the latest measures were “yet another crashing blow” for VET, particularly the removal of the pathway for working holiday makers to move into study while in Australia.
“Competent government works with industry, tests the consequences, makes a deliberate change and then provides policy stability,” he said.