The Australian government has announced stringent measures to curb onshore visa transitions, effectively ending the practice known as ‘visa hopping’. Starting July 1st, 2024, significant changes will restrict both Visitor Visa holders and Temporary Graduate Visa holders from applying for Student Visas within Australia.
This move, disclosed by the Department of Home Affairs on June 12th, aligns with Australia’s Migration Strategy unveiled last December, aimed at closing loopholes allowing visa holders to extend their stay by transitioning between visa categories. According to the department, over 36,000 applications were made between July 2023 and May 2024 to switch from Visitor Visas to Student Visas, prompting this regulatory adjustment to uphold the integrity of offshore student visa processes.
The Department emphasized that the new policy addresses attempts to circumvent tightened offshore visa rules but did not provide specific instances of such subversion. It highlighted a decline in onshore visa grants to previous Visitor Visa holders, noting 17,729 approvals in the current financial year compared to 38,334 in the previous year.
Similarly, Temporary Graduate Visa holders will no longer be eligible to apply for Student Visas in Australia from July 1st, citing findings from the Grattan Institute indicating that 32% of these visa holders returned to further study upon visa expiry. The government aims to encourage graduates to seek skilled employment or permanent residency rather than remaining in a prolonged temporary status.
Minister for Home Affairs and Cyber Security Clare O’Neil underscored the government’s commitment to a migration system focused on national skill needs while eliminating loopholes and exploitation. The ongoing reforms, including reduced post-study work rights and age limits for Temporary Graduate Visas, are part of broader efforts to halve net migration by the next fiscal year.
“Our Migration Strategy outlines a clear plan to close the loopholes in international education, and this is the next step in delivering that plan,” Minister O’Neil affirmed, emphasizing the necessity of a robust and fair migration framework aligned with Australia’s economic and social priorities.
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