Australia Tightens Student and Backpacker Visa Rules

Australia announced new measures on Thursday to curb migration by stopping foreign students from bringing partners and children, and tightening working holiday visa rules.

The reforms are expected to bring annual net migration down to about 225,000 by 2028, dropping from around 300,000 currently.

Under the updated rules, a ballot system will be introduced for backpackers seeking to extend working holiday visas, and international students can only renew visas by moving up the qualification scale.