Updated 12 November 2026. This is general information, not migration advice. Check the Department of Home Affairs (homeaffairs.gov.au) or speak to a registered migration agent before you apply.
Summary
Since 2 October 2026, holders of 17 specified classes of temporary visa cannot make a valid Student visa (subclass 500) or Student Guardian visa (subclass 590) application from inside Australia – the restriction applies to visas including Working Holiday (417), Work and Holiday (462), Skills in Demand (482), Training (407), and Visitor visas, among others; affected applicants must apply from outside Australia and generally be outside Australia when the visa is granted. This is particularly important in light of the recent Australia student visa changes 2026.
Current Student visa holders now generally need an exemption to apply for another Student visa onshore – students who hold a Student visa as a secondary applicant and want to apply as a primary applicant must apply from outside Australia, with no exemptions according to Home Affairs, while current Student Guardian (590) holders can still lodge a further Student Guardian visa application while in Australia. These rules are a direct result of the Australia student visa changes 2026.
Existing visas are not cancelled – the changes affect new applications, and they come from the Migration Amendment (Student Visa Reform) Regulations 2026 and a related instrument, LIN 26/102, which commenced on 2 October 2026. Understanding the implications of the Australia student visa changes 2026 is crucial for prospective applicants.
What changed on 2 October 2026
Three legislative instruments were registered on 1 October 2026 and commenced the next day:
- the Migration Amendment (Student Visa Reform) Regulations 2026
- the Migration (Student Visa Applications to Be Made from outside Australia) Instrument 2026 (LIN 26/102)
- an amendment to LIN 20/158 (LIN 26/087)
LIN 26/102 specifies classes of visa holders who cannot make a valid onshore application for a Student or Student Guardian visa. It repeals and replaces an earlier instrument, LIN 26/068. The Explanatory Statement describes the purpose as preventing certain temporary migrants who entered Australia for purposes other than study from using Student or Student Guardian visa applications to prolong their stay.
Who must now apply from outside Australia
If you hold one of the 17 specified visa classes, you cannot make a valid onshore application for a Student or Student Guardian visa. Where you must apply offshore, you must also generally be outside Australia when the visa is granted (new clause 500.411).
According to migration practitioners’ summaries of LIN 26/102, the specified classes include:
- Subclass 400 Temporary Work (Short Stay Specialist)
- Subclass 403 Temporary Work (International Relations), Domestic Worker (Diplomatic or Consular) stream only
- Subclass 407 Training
- Subclass 408 Temporary Activity
- Subclass 417 Working Holiday
- Subclass 457 Temporary Work (Skilled)
- Subclass 462 Work and Holiday
- Subclass 482, both Skills in Demand and Temporary Skill Shortage
- Subclass 485 Temporary Graduate
- Subclass 600 Visitor
- Subclass 601 Electronic Travel Authority
- Subclass 602 Medical Treatment
- Other short-stay and special classes, which one summary lists as subclasses 651, 771, 988 and 995
Of these, the 400, 407, 408, 417, 457, 462 and both forms of the 482 were added from 2 October 2026. The 485 and Visitor visas were already restricted before then, and LIN 26/102 replaced an earlier, shorter list that took effect on 24 September 2026.
The restriction depends on your exact visa subclass and, in some cases, the stream. The complete list is in LIN 26/102 on the Federal Register of Legislation, so check it for your visa.
If you already hold a Student visa
| Your situation | What the rules say |
|---|---|
| Primary Student visa holder applying for another Student visa | Generally must apply from outside Australia unless one of the defined exemptions applies |
| Secondary Student visa holder applying as a primary applicant | Must apply from outside Australia and be outside Australia at grant. Home Affairs states there are no exemptions |
| Student Guardian (590) holder | Can continue to lodge a further Student Guardian visa application while in Australia |
| Student visa ends before you lodge a new application | You must apply from outside Australia and stay outside until the visa is granted |
Home Affairs publishes a list of the limited exemptions that let some current Student visa holders apply onshore. Its guidance, “Applying for a Student visa or Student Guardian visa while in Australia”, lists them. Migration practitioners report that they include Defence and Foreign Affairs students and primary applicants holding passports from specified Pacific regional or ASEAN countries, along with a few other prescribed groups. Check the Home Affairs list to see whether you are covered.
Other changes reported with the reforms
Migration practitioners’ summaries of the reforms also mention that:
- Course progression for further Student visas generally needs to move up the Australian Qualifications Framework.
- Most new applicants cannot include family members.
- One report says non-school students face a 12-month principal-course period before provider transfers, through 30 June 2027.
These come from secondary sources, so check Home Affairs for the current rules and how they apply to you.
What to do if you are affected
- Check your current visa: the subclass, the stream and whether you are a primary or secondary applicant.
- Check LIN 26/102 or the Home Affairs factsheet to see whether your visa is on the list.
- Check whether an exemption applies if you are a current Student visa holder.
- Plan travel carefully. If you have to apply offshore, you may need to leave Australia and stay outside it until the visa is granted.
- Get advice from a registered migration agent or migration lawyer, particularly if your visa is about to expire. OrbitRemit is not a migration agent.
FAQs (frequently asked questions)
Can I still apply for a Student visa in Australia?
Some people can, but most holders of the 17 specified temporary visa classes cannot. Current Student visa holders generally need an exemption. Check Home Affairs for your situation.
Are existing Student visas cancelled?
No. The changes apply to new applications, and existing Student visas are not cancelled.
I’m on a Working Holiday visa. Can I apply for a Student visa onshore?
Not from inside Australia since 2 October 2026. Working Holiday (417) and Work and Holiday (462) visa holders must apply from outside Australia.
What is LIN 26/102?
The Migration (Student Visa Applications to Be Made from outside Australia) Instrument 2026, which specifies the classes of visa holders who cannot make a valid onshore Student or Student Guardian visa application. It commenced on 2 October 2026.
Does this apply to Student Guardian visas?
It applies to people applying for a Student Guardian visa from the specified visa classes, but current Student Guardian (590) holders can still lodge a further 590 application onshore.
Where can I check the rules?
The Department of Home Affairs website and the Federal Register of Legislation (legislation.gov.au).
Important information
This article is general information about visa rules and is not migration or legal advice. Visa rules, eligibility and exemptions change, and some details here come from migration practitioners’ summaries of the legislation and Home Affairs guidance. Always check homeaffairs.gov.au or speak to a registered migration agent or migration lawyer before you apply. OrbitRemit is an international money transfer service and is not a migration agent.
Related guides
- Medicare for migrants in Australia
- What is a TFN in Australia?
- How to open a bank account in Australia as a migrant
- Setting up power, gas and internet when you move to Australia
Last updated 12 November 2026.
Sources: Department of Home Affairs, Changes to Student visa application rules (factsheet, 1 October 2026) and Applying for a Student visa or Student Guardian visa while in Australia | Federal Register of Legislation, Migration (Student Visa Applications to Be Made from outside Australia) Instrument 2026 (F2026L01348) | Migration Alliance, Migration (Student Visa Applications to Be Made from outside Australia) Instrument 2026 | Provisa, Emigrate Lawyers, TIA Lawyers, One Planet Migration Law, Nexor Group and GetYourVisa, student visa changes from 2 October 2026 | VisaVerge, Australia tightens student visa switching rules (9 November 2026)
