Australia's New Student Visa Rules From October 2: What Changes for Indian Students

• No onshore switching for most: most temporary visa holders, including people on Working Holiday Maker and Skills in Demand visas, can no longer apply for a Student visa (subclass 500 or 590) while they are in Australia. They will generally need to apply from outside the country.
• Family members: there are new limits on when family members can be included in a student visa application.

The aim, widely described as ending "visa hopping", is to stop people moving between temporary visas to extend their stay.

Who is exempt

The onshore restriction does not apply to:

• students sponsored by Australia's foreign affairs department (DFAT) or Defence;
• doctoral (PhD) students;
• students whose education provider can no longer deliver their course;
• students who need up to 12 more months to finish their studies with the same provider.

What has not changed

Existing student visas are not affected. If you already hold a valid student visa, these rules do not cancel or shorten it. And if you are applying from India for a new course, the onshore restriction does not apply to you, although all the usual requirements on funds, English and genuine study still do.

What Indian students should do

1. Check your current visa if you are already in Australia and planning to study. If you are on a working holiday or work visa, you will probably need to apply from offshore.
2. Plan timelines, because applying from outside Australia can mean travelling home and waiting for a decision.
3. Use official sources: the Department of Home Affairs and Study Australia websites, and registered migration agents. Rules are changing frequently.
4. Be wary of agents promising shortcuts. Any route that relies on switching visas onshore is now closed for most people.

Australia is not the only country changing its rules. The US has also made changes affecting Indian professionals; read our report on the suspension of green card filings for Indian IT firms.