The Liberal-National Coalition (Coalition) has just announced a large-scale immigration policy reform plan in Australia. According to the announced plan, the Coalition proposes to reduce about 650,000 people holding Temporary Visa within 4 years.
Notably, the plan also proposes to abolish the Temporary Graduate Visa – Subclass 485, reduce the number of international students starting new courses (New international student initiations) and increase the ratio of international students at universities to university. study dropped below 25%. However, it should be noted that this is just a proposal from the Opposition, not an effective policy. Visa 485 has not been abolished yet.
1. Proposal to Reduce Temporary Visa Holders by 650,000 in 4 years
Opposition Leader Angus Taylor said the Coalition wants to reduce Temporary Visa Holders by about 650,000 within 4 years. According to the plan, the Coalition wants to bring net overseas migration (Net Overseas Migration – NOM) down to:
- 100,000 people/year in the first two years;
- Then increases to about 160,000 people/year in the fourth year.
The Coalition Party believes that population growth due to migration is creating more pressure on housing, transportation, schools and infrastructure. This is considered one of the most notable proposals to tighten the scale of immigration in the Coalition Party’s plan.
2. Post-Graduation Visa (Visa 485) May Be Abolished
This is particularly noteworthy content for international students (International Students). Coalition proposes to abolish the Temporary Graduate Visa (Subclass 485). Currently, Visa 485 allows international students who meet the conditions to continue to stay in Australia for a period of time after completing their studies to work and gain experience (Work Experience).
If the proposal to abolish the Post-Graduation Visa (Visa 485) is implemented, the familiar route: Study abroad → Graduate → 485 Visa → Work → Find the next Visa opportunity may have to be recalculated. This is especially important for those who choose their field of study based on the expectation of being able to stay in Australia after graduation.
Some Groups May Still Be Considered
According to the announced plan, the Coalition still wants to have some Post-Study Transitional Visas for certain groups, such as those who complete a PhD degree, study Health or Education, or study at certain regional universities. Therefore, this proposal should not be understood simply as “Australia will close all pathways to stay after graduation”.
3. Number of New International Students Could Fall to 240,000
Coalition also proposes to limit the number of international students starting new courses (New International Student Commencements) to about 240,000 per year. In addition, the Coalition wants to bring the ratio of international students at universities to below 25%. If implemented, universities that rely heavily on international students may have to adjust their enrollment scale and international enrollment strategy. This may also make school choice and admission time factors that need to be considered more carefully for international students.
4. Australian Skilled Workers Needed Are Still Priority
The Coalition’s plan does not mean that Australia will stop accepting foreign workers (Overseas Workers). Instead, the Coalition said it wants to focus more on Skilled Migration and skills that match the actual needs of the Australian economy. Groups of workers with skills appropriate to human resource shortages, especially in Regional Areas, may continue to be prioritized.
The construction industry is a notable example in the context that Australia is facing a large demand for housing and construction human resources. Simply put, the direction given is to reduce the number of immigrants but prioritize the skills that Australia really needs.
5. Permanent Migration Program Still At 185,000 Places Per Year
One point that needs to be clearly distinguished is that the number of 650,000 people does not mean that Australia will cut 650,000 places for permanent residence (Permanent Migration). According to the plan, the Permanent Skilled Migration Program will still be maintained at 185,000 slots per year. Therefore, the focus of the proposal lies more on reducing the size of Temporary Visas and changing the structure of selected people, rather than simply cutting the entire permanent residence immigration program.
6. About 77,000 Visa Overstayers Are Also Included in the Plan
Another part of the plan focuses on people who have exhausted their right to stay but are still in Australia. This group is often called Visa Overstayers. According to the published content, the Coalition wants to increase the ability to identify and handle these cases through the Australian Department of Home Affairs. The number mentioned is about 77,000 people in Australia with overstayed visas. This shows that the plan not only focuses on controlling the issuance of new Visa Grants but also focuses on managing those who no longer have legal residence rights.
7. What Could Change For International Students?
If these proposals are implemented, the group notably affected will be International Students. Especially those who are planning Study → Graduation → Work → Next Visa → Settlement
In the future, the choice of major may need to be considered based on more factors than just the The ability to apply for a Temporary Graduate Visa (Subclass 485). International students may need to consider:
- Whether the field of study has human resource demand in Australia or not;
- Ability to find a job after graduation;
- Whether the occupational skills are suitable for the Labor Market or not;
- Opportunities to access Skilled Migration;
- Opportunity Employer Sponsorship;
- Does studying in Regional Areas bring an advantage?
- Is there a backup plan if Visa policy changes?
8. What should Vietnamese international students pay special attention to?
The most important point at the moment is: This is just a policy proposal (Policy Proposal), not an effective Visa policy. Therefore, the Temporary Graduate Visa – Subclass 485 has not been abolished just because the Coalition announced this plan. International students who are preparing their applications should not rush to conclude that the current regulations have changed.
However, if your goal is to study, graduate, work and find the opportunity to stay in Australia long-term, this is still information worth following. Because if the policy is changed in the future, choosing: Field of study + School + Area of study + Career skills + Visa route may become much more important.
Australia could move to a “fewer but more selective” model
Overall, the Coalition’s proposal is moving in a fairly clear direction: Reducing the number of temporary visa holders → reducing the number of new international students → limiting some pathways to stay after graduation → focusing more on the skilled workers that Australia needs. For international students, what matters is not just the question: “Is the 485 visa still available or not?” but more importantly: “If the policy changes, will my field of study and skills still suit Australia’s needs?”
This is the reason why those who are preparing to study abroad in Australia in the period 2026–2027 should look at the long-term route, instead of just choosing a course. study based on a specific Visa type. The contents of reducing 650,000 temporary visa holders, abolishing the 485 Visa, limiting 240,000 new international students and immigration-related changes in this article are proposed by the Coalition (Coalition Proposal). This should not be understood as a new Visa regulation being applied in Australia.
Reference source: ABC News
