Planning to work, study or join family in Australia? The most important question is whether a reported immigration change actually applies to your visa, your circumstances and your application date.
Australia’s latest migration announcements cover skilled visa processing, student visa integrity, visitor visa conditions and compliance. Some changes have already commenced; others are being introduced progressively. Treating every announcement as an immediate rule can lead to unnecessary expense and poor decisions.
This guide explains selected verified developments and the practical checks Indian applicants should make before committing to a migration plan.
Ministerial Directions 121 and 122 took effect on 19 September 2026, replacing the processing priorities under Direction 119. Direction 121 covers temporary skilled visas; Direction 122 covers specified provisional and permanent skilled visas.
The highest priority includes applications connected with construction, healthcare, teaching, agriculture, aquaculture, fishing, resources, and Australia’s law enforcement and defence interests. The temporary skilled order then prioritises the Specialist Skills stream.
After these higher-priority categories, applicants who were in Australia when they lodged receive priority over the remaining offshore categories. Certain offshore applications not combined with another person’s application rank ahead of the final category. The detailed order differs between the two directions.
For applicants in India, the essential distinction is that processing priority does not establish visa eligibility or guarantee approval. These directions govern the handling of covered visa applications; they should not be read as a promise of a SkillSelect invitation.
An occupation’s precise classification and the applicable direction must be checked before assuming priority treatment.
Source: Home Affairs — Skilled visa processing priorities.
Home Affairs has announced a broader package addressing student visa switching, restrictions on secondary applicants on most student visas, wider use of No Further Stay conditions on visitor visas, compliance and changes to the Working Holiday Maker program.
The department states that implementation has begun and will continue progressively over 12 months. Applicants should therefore establish the commencement date, scope, exceptions and transitional arrangements for the particular measure affecting them.
For a family considering Australian study, this means checking the applicable dependant rules before making financial commitments. An announcement alone should not be treated as proof that every existing visa holder’s family arrangements have changed.
Source: Home Affairs — Australian Government Migration Policy Changes.
A visitor visa should fit a genuine temporary visit. Applicants should not assume that travelling to Australia first will allow them to switch freely to another visa.
Under the existing No Further Stay framework, an attached condition can prevent applications for most temporary and permanent visas while the holder is in Australia. Check the visa grant letter or VEVO to identify the actual conditions.
Waivers are available only in limited circumstances. Home Affairs explains that a relevant major change must have occurred after the visa grant and be outside the applicant’s control. Simply being unaware of the condition is not a reason for a waiver. A waiver request does not itself remove the condition or extend your lawful stay.
If your plans change, review your conditions and lawful stay options before your visa expires.
Source: Home Affairs — No Further Stay waiver.
The Genuine Student requirement applies to student visa applications lodged on or after 23 March 2024. It is an established requirement, rather than a new 2026 reform.
Applicants must demonstrate that studying is their primary reason for applying. A persuasive application explains the proposed course, the choice of institution, the applicant’s circumstances and how the qualification will benefit them, supported by evidence.
Home Affairs also recognises that genuine students may later seek permanent residence. That future intention does not, by itself, count against an applicant. However, possible future migration opportunities should not be presented as a guaranteed outcome of enrolment.
The Department prefers responses to the GS questions within the application form, with supporting documents, rather than a separate generic statement. Each response has a 150-word limit.
Source: Home Affairs — Genuine Student requirement.
The Australian Government’s education-agent commission measure prohibits providers from paying commissions for specified student transfers after study has commenced. Its purpose is to remove financial incentives for unnecessary transfers.
The Department of Education’s updated guidance confirms that the ban does not apply where the transferring student was accepted for enrolment by the receiving provider on or before 31 March 2026.
This commission restriction is not itself a general prohibition on changing courses. A proposed transfer still needs to be assessed against the student’s visa conditions and the applicable education requirements.
Source: Department of Education — Ban on agent commissions for onshore transfers, updated August 2026.
Home Affairs identifies 65 points as the minimum points threshold for subclasses 189, 190 and 491. Meeting that threshold does not guarantee an invitation.
Applicants should distinguish three separate questions: whether they meet eligibility requirements, whether they are competitive for an invitation or nomination, and whether they can substantiate every claim when applying.
Before submitting an expression of interest, review your occupation, skills assessment, English results, qualifications and claimed employment. A higher score is useful only if the points are correctly calculated and supported by evidence.
Source: Home Affairs — Expression of interest.
Home Affairs lists the following income thresholds for nomination applications lodged from 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027:
| Threshold | Relevant pathway | Annual amount |
|---|---|---|
| Core Skills Income Threshold (CSIT) | Subclass 482 Core Skills and subclass 186 nominations covered by the CSIT requirement | AUD 79,423 |
| Specialist Skills Income Threshold (SSIT) | Subclass 482 Specialist Skills | AUD 146,576 |
| Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT) | Subclass 494 and relevant subclass 187 nominations | AUD 79,423 |
Meeting a threshold does not necessarily make a proposed salary sufficient. Where the annual market salary rate requirements apply, the employer must also establish the appropriate market rate and meet the corresponding pay requirements. A role with a higher market rate cannot simply be paid at the immigration threshold.
Check the applicable subclass, stream, nomination date and any relevant concession before assessing a salary package. These amounts are income thresholds, not visa application fees.
Source: Home Affairs — Salary requirements to nominate a worker.
Visa charges can change, and Home Affairs explains that the applicable cost depends on when it receives the application. Use its current pricing table or Visa Pricing Estimator for the relevant visa and family composition.
For student applicants, the Department also identifies possible additional costs for accompanying family members, health checks, police certificates and biometrics. Tuition and living expenses require a separate budget.
A fee quoted in an older article should not be used as the sole basis for a financial commitment.
Sources: Home Affairs — Visa fees and charges and Student visa information.
Before paying tuition, accepting an employment arrangement or making travel commitments, ask:
Discuss your Australian migration plans with ImmiLaw Global. Start with an individual assessment of your circumstances, documents and objectives so that your next steps are based on a clear understanding of the available options.
This article provides general information based on the official sources identified above and reviewed on 27 September 2026. It is not individual legal advice. Requirements and implementation arrangements may change; verify the rules applicable to your circumstances before acting.
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