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Australian Migration Law Changes 2026: Legislation and Visa Reform Timeline
Updated: 28 minutes ago
Australian migration law changed repeatedly during 2026. This Top10Migration timeline tracks selected consequential Acts, Regulations and legislative instruments that materially affect visa applicants, sponsors, migration professionals and employers.
November entries added and checked: 15 November 2026. The earlier timeline and explanations below retain their original 15 September 2026 scope and have not all been reverified. This is a selective reference, not an exhaustive list of reforms. Commencement and application dates are identified separately.
12 November 2026 — Training visa 407 location rules commenced
F2026L01449 applies to applications made on or after 12 November 2026. It generally requires applicants to be outside Australia both when applying and when the visa is granted. The instrument provides for separately specified classes with different location rules; do not assume an exception applies. Earlier applications fall outside these amendments. Check location requirements before lodging, even if an online form accepts a submission.
13 November 2026 — Graduate visa 485 family application rules commenced
F2026L01500 applies to applications made on or after 13 November 2026. Secondary applicants must meet a specified eligibility pathway and apply at the same time as, and combined with, the primary applicant. A later separate subsequent-entrant application is no longer available under these rules. Primary applicants must apply in Australia; secondary applicants may be inside or outside Australia, excluding immigration clearance, with additional visa-status requirements for onshore secondary applicants. Check each family member's eligibility and linked visa history before lodging.
28 November 2026 — visitor No Further Stay changes are made but not yet commenced
F2026L01503 was made on 12 November and registered on 13 November 2026. It commences on 28 November and applies to applications made on or after that date. Condition 8503 will be mandatory across subclass 600 streams, ETA 601 and eVisitor 651. As at 15 November, this future change has not commenced. It does not retrospectively add 8503 to existing visas or bring earlier applications within the amendments. Check conditions and application validity before planning a further onshore visa.
Earlier 2026 changes — original timeline
Effective date | Change | Practical significance |
1 Mar 2026 | Temporary Graduate visa application charge amendment | Changed Subclass 485 visa application charge settings; later 1 July 2026 system-wide VAC changes also need to be checked for current fees |
11 Mar 2026 | Subclass 407 sponsorship / nomination validity requirements | A valid 407 application now requires an approved temporary activities sponsor and, for a non-Commonwealth sponsor, an approved nomination before the visa application is made |
14 Mar 2026 | Arrival control powers commenced | Migration Amendment (2026 Measures No. 1) Act introduced the arrival control determination / permitted travel certificate framework |
1 Jun 2026 | Student visa refusal ART reviews on the papers | Student visa refusal reviews were prescribed for an on-the-papers review framework, subject to specified exclusions and circumstances where oral consideration is appropriate |
3 Jun 2026 | Luxembourg added to Work and Holiday arrangements | Updated subclass 462 arrangements added Luxembourg to the relevant application instrument |
1 Jul 2026 | Most first-instalment visa application charges increased by 25% | Home Affairs 2026 Measures No. 1 implemented a broad-based VAC increase for most Schedule 1 visa classes, with targeted exceptions/settings |
1 Jul 2026 | TSMIT increased to $79,423 | The Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold was aligned with the Core Skills Income Threshold for relevant nomination applications |
1 Jul 2026 | Working Holiday age increased for four passport cohorts | The maximum age for subclass 417 applicants from Cyprus, Finland, Germany and the Republic of Korea increased from 30 to 35 |
Jul 2026 | Community Support Program priorities reset | New Subclass 202 Community Support Program priorities included age, English and financial self-sufficiency criteria for primary applicants |
1 Sep 2026 | New Child visa application arrangements instrument | A new principal instrument replaced earlier child-visa application arrangements; practitioners should use the 2026 instrument for current application mechanics |
1 March 2026 — Temporary Graduate visa application charge changes
The Migration Amendment (Temporary Graduate Visa Application Charge) Regulations 2026 amended the Migration Regulations 1994 in relation to the Subclass 485 Temporary Graduate visa application charge and commenced on 1 March 2026. Because later fee reforms commenced on 1 July 2026, current applicants should check the present fee rather than relying on an earlier 2026 amount.
11 March 2026 — Subclass 407 applications require prior sponsorship and nomination approvals
The Migration Amendment (Training Visas—Sponsorship Requirements) Regulations 2026 changed the validity requirements for Subclass 407 Training visa applications. The explanatory statement says an applicant must have an approved temporary activities sponsor and, where the sponsor is not a Commonwealth agency, an approved nomination for the training program before making the visa application. Previously, sponsorship, nomination and visa applications could be made concurrently.
Official source: Migration Amendment (Training Visas—Sponsorship Requirements) Regulations 2026 — explanatory material
14 March 2026 — arrival control powers
The Migration Amendment (2026 Measures No. 1) Act 2026 inserted a new arrival-control framework into the Migration Act 1958, including concepts of an arrival control determination and a permitted travel certificate. Schedule 1 commenced on 14 March 2026.
Official source: Migration Amendment (2026 Measures No. 1) Act 2026
1 June 2026 — Student visa refusal reviews and the ART
The Migration Amendment (Administrative Review of Student Visa Refusal Decisions) Regulations 2026 introduced an on-the-papers review framework for applications seeking review of Student visa refusal decisions. The explanatory material describes specified exclusions, including particular Public Interest Criteria and Special Return Criteria matters, where oral consideration may be more appropriate.
Official source: Migration Amendment (Administrative Review of Student Visa Refusal Decisions) Regulations 2026
1 July 2026 — major fee and skilled-migration threshold changes
Home Affairs Legislation Amendment (2026 Measures No. 1) Regulations 2026 implemented a broad 25% increase to the first instalment of the visa application charge for most visa subclasses in Schedule 1, alongside targeted settings and exceptions. The same reform package aligned the Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold with the Core Skills Income Threshold and set the TSMIT at $79,423 for relevant nomination applications from 1 July 2026.
1 July 2026 — Working Holiday age expansion
The 2026 Working Holiday reforms were accompanied by a new Subclass 417 arrangements instrument. Its explanatory statement records an increase in the maximum applicant age from 30 to 35 for passport holders from Cyprus, Finland, Germany and the Republic of Korea.
July 2026 — Community Support Program priorities
A new instrument for the Subclass 202 Community Support Program set Commonwealth priorities for primary applicants including being aged 18 to 50 when applying, demonstrating adequate spoken and written English for independent daily living and employment, and being able to become financially self-sufficient within 12 months of arrival by reference to employment or employability.
Official source: Migration (Specification of Commonwealth Priorities for Subclass 202 (Global Special Humanitarian) Visas) Instrument 2026
1 September 2026 — Child visa application arrangements replaced
The Migration (Arrangements for Child Visa Applications) Instrument 2026 commenced on 1 September 2026 and replaced the earlier child-visa application arrangements instrument. Practitioners dealing with Child visa application mechanics should use the current 2026 instrument rather than older application-arrangement material.
Official source: Migration (Arrangements for Child Visa Applications) Instrument 2026
Related Top10Migration research
How we maintain this timeline
This page is intentionally selective rather than a raw list of every migration-related instrument. Top10Migration includes developments that materially affect visa eligibility, application validity, review procedure, charges, sponsorship, skilled migration or major program settings. Each entry links to primary legislation or official material.
This page provides general legal information, not legal advice. Amending instruments can be repealed after their amendments are incorporated into principal legislation; that does not necessarily mean the substantive amendment has ceased to operate. Always check the current consolidated Migration Act 1958, Migration Regulations 1994 and applicable legislative instruments for the present law.
