Australian Government Cracks Down on “Visa Hopping” with New Policy
What is visa hopping?
Visa hopping refers to the practice of using a series of temporary visas to extend your stay in Australia beyond the original intended period. This can involve switching between visitor visas, student visas, and other temporary visa categories.
Visitor and Temporary Graduate Visa Holders Can No Longer Apply for Student Visas Inside Australia
Looking to study in Australia on subclass 500 visa? New rules are coming into effect on July 1st, 2024, that aim to streamline the visa process and ensure students are coming to Australia for genuine educational purposes. This crackdown on “visa hopping” is designed to improve the integrity of the migration system.
What are the changes?
The Australian government is concerned that visa hopping is undermining the integrity of the migration system. The number of international students staying on a second or subsequent student visa has grown significantly, raising concerns that some students may be prioritizing extending their stay over their studies.
What are the new rules?
Visa Hopping has now come to the end and it has the following policy strictly being carried:
- Visitor visa holders can no longer apply for student visas onshore. This closes a loophole that allowed visitors to switch to a student visa after arriving in Australia.
- Temporary Graduate visa holders can no longer apply for student visas onshore. This encourages graduates to transition to skilled employment or permanent residency, rather than extending their stay through further studies.
- What else is changing?
These changes are part of a broader reform to the Temporary Graduate visa program. Other changes include:
- Significantly shorter post-study work rights
- Reduced age limit for post-study work rights from 50 to 35
- Increased English language requirements
What does this mean for you?
If you’re planning to study in Australia, it’s important to ensure you meet the genuine student requirements before another hopping and apply for the correct visa type upfront. These changes will help ensure a fairer and more efficient migration system for everyone.
Looking for more information?
The Department of Home Affairs website has all the details on the latest changes to student visas and the Temporary Graduate visa program: Australian Government Department of Home Affairs. This news is referenced from the Minister’s media release on 12th June 2024.
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