Australia Strengthens Student Visa Program to Curb Visa Hopping

The Australian government is taking significant steps to enhance the integrity of the Student visa program as part of its broader Migration Strategy. Effective from 1 July 2024, new restrictions will be implemented to curb visa hopping and ensure that visas are granted to genuine students who are committed to contributing to Australia’s economy in a positive way.

Key Changes to Visa Eligibility

Several temporary visa holders will no longer be eligible to apply for a Student visa while in Australia. This change affects holders of the Temporary Graduate, Visitor, and Maritime Crew visas, among others. The affected visa subclasses include:

• Subclass 485 (Temporary Graduate)
• Subclass 600 (Visitor)
• Subclass 601 (Electronic Travel Authority)
• Subclass 602 (Medical Treatment)
• Subclass 651 (eVisitor)
• Subclass 771 (Transit)
• Subclass 988 (Maritime Crew)
• Subclass 995 (Diplomatic Temporary) – primary visa holders only
• Subclass 403 (Temporary Work) International Relations – Domestic Worker (Diplomatic or Consular) stream
• Subclass 426 (Domestic Worker (Temporary) – Diplomatic or Consular)

These measures aim to end the practice of ‘visa hopping,’ where individuals extend their stay in Australia by switching between different temporary visas. Visa hopping has led to an increase in the number of ‘permanently temporary’ residents, particularly among former international students. In 2022-23, the number of international students staying in Australia on subsequent student visas grew by over 30% to more than 150,000.

To reinforce the integrity of the student visa system, visitor visa holders intending to study in Australia must now apply for their Student visas from offshore. Additionally, Temporary Graduate visa holders are encouraged to either find skilled jobs leading to permanent residency or leave the country when their visa expires. These changes are part of a broader effort to reform Australia’s migration system, which includes reducing post-study work rights, lowering age limits for visa applicants, and increasing English language requirements. The goal is to create a migration system that delivers the skills needed for Australia’s economy while preventing exploitation and misuse.

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Amitava Deb

• Amitava is a gold medallist from India’s premier technical institute, IIT Kharagpur.
• He has worked with some of the world’s top companies such as Sony Australia Pty. Ltd., Siemens AG Germany, Clarity International Ltd., Reliance Communications and Optus Sydney.
• Amitava is a Chartered Professional Engineer accredited by Engineers Australia. He is a full member of this esteemed association.
• He is a member of the Australian Computer Society, Tele Management Forum and Worldwide Institute of Software Architects.
• Amitava is a well-recognised name in the ICT Professional Community in Australia.