Foreign students to face tough restrictions on bringing in family under Labor’s immigration plan

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Published: 2026-09-16T08:12:36.268Z • Permanent link

Home affairs minister Tony Burke is set to unveil a comprehensive overhaul of Australia's immigration policy, aimed at reducing the number of foreign students bringing in family members. The proposed changes are expected to have far-reaching implications for the country's education sector, as well as its broader immigration landscape. The Labor government has been under pressure to address concerns over the impact of foreign students on the country's social services and housing market.

According to data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, there were over 840,000 international students studying in Australia as of 2022, with many of these students bringing in their families. The exact number of family members is not publicly available, but estimates suggest that thousands of foreign students have been bringing in their spouses and children to live in Australia. Some of these foreign students have even gone on to start their own businesses, creating jobs for locals and contributing to the country's economy.

The One Nation party has been vocal in its opposition to the current immigration policy, with leader Pauline Hanson accusing the government of allowing "foreigners to flood into our country". In response to the criticism, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke has vowed to introduce tougher restrictions on foreign students bringing in family members. The new policy is expected to be unveiled in the coming weeks, with details still under wraps.

The proposed changes to Australia's immigration policy have significant implications for the country's education sector. Many of the international students who bring in their families are enrolled in Australian universities, where they pay tuition fees to Australian institutions. The current policy allows these students to bring in their family members, which can lead to significant costs for Australian universities. The new policy is expected to require international students to demonstrate that they can support themselves and their family members financially, before being allowed to bring them into the country.

The impact of the new policy will also be felt in the research community, where many international students are conducting research in Australian institutions. The new policy could lead to a decrease in the number of international students conducting research in Australia, as well as a decrease in the number of research collaborations between Australian and foreign researchers. This could have significant implications for the country's research sector, as well as its ability to attract top talent from around the world.

The proposed changes to Australia's immigration policy are part of a broader trend in the country's immigration landscape. In recent years, there have been growing concerns over the impact of immigration on the country's social services and housing market. The current policy has been criticized for allowing too many foreign students to bring in their families, leading to concerns over the strain on local resources. The new policy is expected to be part of a broader effort to address these concerns, with the government announcing plans to introduce new measures to reduce the number of immigrants coming to Australia.