Australia has brought in tougher student visa rules that limit who can apply from inside the country and who can bring family along. The changes take effect from today, Oct 2, 2026 .
The reforms cover the Student Visa (subclass 500) and the Student Guardian Visa (subclass 590). They were made law on October 1,2026 under the Migration Amendment (Student Visa Reform) Regulations 2026. They apply to applications lodged on or October 2.




