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Australia to bar foreign students from bringing partners, children while they study
The overhaul aims to cut net overseas migration to 225,000 by 2028 and curb visa hopping as housing pressure and political criticism grow.
On Thursday, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke will address the National Press Club to announce a ban on international students bringing family members to Australia, targeting net overseas migration reduction to 225,000 by 2028.
Cabinet's Expenditure Review Committee endorsed the reworked plan this week, concluding a six-week delay caused by ministerial disagreements over competing immigration reform priorities.
Last financial year, 45,991 secondary applicants received student visas; the government now intends to curb so-called "visa hopping" and prevent students from bringing partners or children to Australia while studying.
Burke told Question Time he prefers implementing the overhaul via legislation but will pursue other "levers" if he cannot secure necessary parliamentary support.
The government's strategy follows proposals from the One Nation party, which recently called for cuts to temporary migrant numbers to give Australians "breathing space" amid rising migration concerns.