Australia's Labor government has announced a comprehensive overhaul of its migration system aimed at restricting temporary migration whilst maintaining skilled worker intake. The changes include preventing international students from automatically bringing family members, severely reducing working holiday visa availability, and tightening rules on visitor visa usage. Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke cautioned that excessive migration cuts risk economic damage, stressing the need for balance in immigration policy.

The reforms introduce several specific measures with significant numerical implications. Second-year working holiday visas are capped at 45,000 places, down from approximately 57,000 the previous year, whilst third-year visas drop to just 5,000 from about 31,000, with both determined through a ballot system. Additional changes include mandatory 'no further stay' conditions on all visitor visas, restrictions on students repeatedly enrolling in same-level courses, and increased enforcement with 100 extra compliance officers. UK passport holders remain exempt from the new backpacker visa caps due to the Australia–UK free trade agreement, and families already in Australia on existing visas are unaffected.