Ending ‘visa hopping’ – 600 and 485 visas to student

Ending onshore visa hopping (1 July 2024 changes)

The Minister for Home Affairs published a media release that announces further changes to the migration system that were articulated within the Migration Strategy. These changes are to stop what is referred to in the Migration Strategy and the media release as visa hopping where temporary visa holders continue to apply for further temporary visas onshore to extend their stay in Australia with little prospect of becoming permanent residents.

As a measure to restrict visa hopping the media release outlines the following changes to commence from 1 July 2024:

• Visitor visa (sc 600) holders will not be able to apply for Student (Sc 500) visas onshore.
•  Temporary Graduate (Sc 485) visa holders will not be able to apply for Student (Sc 500) visas onshore.

The legislative instruments that will bring about these changes have not yet been released.

The Australian government released its much-anticipated Migration Strategy, which outlines a new vision for Australia’s migration system and a what to expect in 2024.