{
  "name": "Australian immigration changes 2026–27",
  "publisher": "Visacorp",
  "url": "https://visacorp.com.au/changes/",
  "checked": "2026-11-08",
  "note": "General information, not migration advice. Each change links to its Department of Home Affairs source.",
  "changes": [
    {
      "date": "2026-11-12",
      "title": "Training visa (407) applications must be made outside Australia",
      "summary": "From 12 November 2026 you must be outside Australia when you apply for a Training visa (subclass 407) and when it is granted. An application made in Australia on or after that date is invalid, even if ImmiAccount lets you submit it. Applications lodged before 12 November are assessed under the rules in place when they were lodged.",
      "affects": "Trainees in Australia planning a 407 application, and the organisations that sponsor them.",
      "sources": [
        {
          "title": "Changes to Training visa application rules (subclass 407)",
          "url": "https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/changes-to-training-visa-407-application-rules"
        }
      ],
      "guide": null
    },
    {
      "date": "2026-11-01",
      "title": "No Bridging visa B for Protection visa applicants",
      "summary": "From 1 November 2026, Protection visa (subclass 866) applicants can no longer apply for a Bridging visa B to travel overseas and return to Australia. Bridging visa B applications lodged before 1 November are still processed. If you already hold a Bridging visa B and its travel period has ended, you cannot apply for another one or ask for further travel.",
      "affects": "Protection visa (866) applicants waiting in Australia on a bridging visa.",
      "sources": [
        {
          "title": "Bridging visa B (subclass 020)",
          "url": "https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/bridging-visa-b-020"
        }
      ],
      "guide": "https://visacorp.com.au/academy/bridging-visas-explained/"
    },
    {
      "date": "2026-10-31",
      "title": "Direction 123 replaces Direction 110 for character decisions",
      "summary": "Ministerial Direction No. 123 commenced on 31 October 2026 and revoked Direction 110, which had applied since 21 June 2024. It sets out what decision-makers must weigh when deciding whether to refuse or cancel a visa on character grounds, where the applicant or visa holder has criminal charges or convictions.",
      "affects": "Visa applicants and visa holders with criminal charges or convictions.",
      "sources": [
        {
          "title": "Ministerial Direction No. 123 (PDF)",
          "url": "https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/support-subsite/files/ministerial-direction-123.pdf"
        },
        {
          "title": "Character requirements for visas",
          "url": "https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/help-support/meeting-our-requirements/character"
        }
      ],
      "guide": "https://visacorp.com.au/academy/character-requirement-police-checks/"
    },
    {
      "date": "2026-10-02",
      "title": "Student visa: holders of 17 visas must now apply offshore",
      "summary": "Holders of 17 temporary visas, including the Working Holiday (417), Work and Holiday (462), Temporary Graduate (485), both 482 streams and the visitor visas, must now apply for a Student visa (subclass 500) from outside Australia and be outside Australia when it is granted. Most current students can no longer apply for a further Student visa in Australia, and most applicants can no longer include a partner or children. Applications lodged before 2 October are assessed under the old rules.",
      "affects": "Temporary visa holders in Australia who plan to study, current Student visa holders, and students who want to bring a partner or children.",
      "sources": [
        {
          "title": "Changes to Student visa application rules (subclasses 500 and 590)",
          "url": "https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/changes-to-student-visa-application-rules-500-590"
        },
        {
          "title": "Student visa (subclass 500)",
          "url": "https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/student-500"
        }
      ],
      "guide": "https://visacorp.com.au/academy/student-visa-onshore-changes-october-2026/"
    },
    {
      "date": "2026-10-01",
      "title": "No card surcharge on visa payments",
      "summary": "From 1 October 2026 Home Affairs stopped applying surcharges to card, PayPal and UnionPay payments, following the Reserve Bank's review of card surcharging. The application charges themselves did not change.",
      "affects": "Anyone paying a visa application charge, sponsorship fee or nomination fee.",
      "sources": [
        {
          "title": "Surcharges for payments",
          "url": "https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/fees-and-charges/explanation-of-visa-application-charges/surcharges"
        }
      ],
      "guide": "https://visacorp.com.au/academy/visa-payment-card-surcharge-removed/"
    },
    {
      "date": "2026-09-19",
      "title": "Directions 121 and 122 set a new processing order for skilled visas",
      "summary": "Ministerial Directions 121 and 122 came into force on 19 September 2026 and replaced Direction 119, which had applied from 25 July. Direction 121 covers the Skills in Demand (482) visa. Direction 122 covers the 186, 187, 189, 190, 191, 489, 491, 494, 887 and 888. The occupation now counts before where the applicant was when they applied, and both Directions apply to applications already lodged.",
      "affects": "Skilled and employer-sponsored visa applicants, and the employers who sponsor them.",
      "sources": [
        {
          "title": "Ministerial Direction No. 121 (PDF)",
          "url": "https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/Visa-subsite/files/md-121.pdf"
        },
        {
          "title": "Ministerial Direction No. 122 (PDF)",
          "url": "https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/Visa-subsite/files/md-122.pdf"
        },
        {
          "title": "Skilled visa processing priorities",
          "url": "https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-processing-times/visa-processing-priorities/skilled-visa"
        }
      ],
      "guide": "https://visacorp.com.au/academy/ministerial-directions-121-122-skilled-visa-priorities/"
    },
    {
      "date": "2026-07-25",
      "title": "Direction 117 puts onshore family visa applications first",
      "summary": "Ministerial Direction 117 replaced Direction 102 on 25 July 2026. Family visa applications made in Australia, for a visa that can be granted in Australia, now have priority over applications made outside Australia or that must be granted outside Australia. Within each group, partner and dependent child applications come before the parent, carer and other family visas.",
      "affects": "Partner, child, parent and other family visa applicants.",
      "sources": [
        {
          "title": "Family visa processing priorities",
          "url": "https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-processing-times/visa-processing-priorities/family-visa"
        },
        {
          "title": "Ministerial Direction No. 117 (PDF)",
          "url": "https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/Visa-subsite/files/md-117.pdf"
        }
      ],
      "guide": "https://visacorp.com.au/academy/parent-visa-queues-and-priorities/"
    },
    {
      "date": "2026-07-01",
      "title": "Income thresholds indexed: Core Skills $79,423, Specialist Skills $146,576",
      "summary": "For nominations lodged from 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027, the Core Skills Income Threshold is $79,423 and the Specialist Skills Income Threshold is $146,576. The Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold, which applies to the 494, is also $79,423. The threshold that counts is the one in force on the day the employer lodges the nomination.",
      "affects": "Employers nominating workers for the 482, 186 or 494, and the workers they sponsor.",
      "sources": [
        {
          "title": "Salary requirements to nominate a worker",
          "url": "https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/employing-and-sponsoring-someone/sponsoring-workers/nominating-a-position/salary-requirements"
        }
      ],
      "guide": "https://visacorp.com.au/academy/skills-in-demand-visa-482/"
    },
    {
      "date": "2026-07-01",
      "title": "Visa application charges rise by about 25%",
      "summary": "Most visa application charges rose by about 25% on 1 July 2026. A partner visa went from $9,365 to $11,710, a Skilled Independent (189) visa from $4,910 to $6,135 and a Student visa from $2,000 to $2,500. The charge that applies is the one in force on the day the Department receives your application.",
      "affects": "Everyone lodging a visa application from 1 July 2026.",
      "sources": [
        {
          "title": "Current visa pricing",
          "url": "https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/fees-and-charges/current-visa-pricing"
        }
      ],
      "guide": "https://visacorp.com.au/academy/visa-costs-2026-27/"
    }
  ]
}