Australia Makes ‘No Further Stay’ Condition Mandatory on All Visitor Visas from 28 November 2026
Temporary Graduate Visa Tightened: Family Members Must Lodge With Primary Applicant From 13 November
ACT Cuts Skilled-Nomination Places for 2026-27, Posts First Round Under New Quota
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Australia moves Subclass 407 Training visa offshore from today
From 12 November 2026, applicants for Australia’s Subclass 407 Training visa must be outside the country when they lodge and when the visa is granted. The rule aims to close loopholes that enabled on-shore ‘visa hopping’, and it forces employers and trainees to account for overseas travel, longer lead-times and additional costs. ([legislation.gov.au](https://www.legislation.gov.au/F2026L01449/asmade/2026-10-30/es/original/pdf?utm_source=openai))
Temporary Graduate (Subclass 485) visa family rules tightened in overnight legislative change
A legislative instrument registered on 12 November 2026 tightens Subclass 485 rules so that most partners and children must be included at the moment the primary Temporary Graduate visa is lodged, ending ‘add-on’ applications. The Government says the measure will refocus the visa on post-study work rather than family migration, with significant ramifications for universities, employers and graduate mobility programmes. ([legislation.gov.au](https://www.legislation.gov.au/F2026L01500/asmade/2026-11-12/text/original/pdf))
Onshore pathway closed: Training (Subclass 407) visa applications must now be lodged offshore
The Migration Amendment (Training Visas—Application Requirements) Regulations 2026 have taken effect, requiring all Training (407) visa applicants to be outside Australia at both application and grant. The change closes a popular on-shore bridging pathway and forces employers to lodge future 407 cases offshore, potentially disrupting workforce planning.
Government registers sweeping Temporary Graduate (485) visa reforms
A legislative instrument signed and registered on 12 November 2026 rewrites the rules for the Temporary Graduate (Subclass 485) visa, limiting when family members can be added and clarifying on-shore lodgement conditions. Universities and employers must update compliance processes before the regulations commence on 13 November.
Regional employers warn of backpacker exodus as working-holiday visa caps bite
A federal inquiry has been told that capping second- and third-year Working Holiday Maker visas is triggering an exodus of backpackers from regional Australia, worsening labour shortages in tourism and agriculture. Industry representatives argue the policy undermines the long-standing ‘work-for-visa’ bargain and will push businesses towards more expensive labour pathways. ([neoskosmos.com](https://neoskosmos.com/en/2026/11/12/news/australia/workers-leave-regions-over-australias-broken-promise/))
International traveller numbers inch higher: ABS releases September 2026 arrivals and departures
ABS data released 12 November 2026 show short-term visitor arrivals rose 1 per cent year-on-year in September, while resident returns increased 1.5 per cent. Although still below pre-COVID levels, the steady growth underscores continuing pressure on airline capacity and provides a key input for migration and tourism planning.
Tasmania kicks off 2026-27 skilled-migration program with first invitation round
Tasmania issued its first skilled-migration invitations for the 2026-27 program year on 12 November, offering 28 Subclass 190 and 38 Subclass 491 places. The round prioritised critical regional skills and signals that state nomination programs are ramping up, giving employers new avenues to recruit overseas talent.
Tasmania issues latest state-sponsored skilled migration invitations on 12 November
Tasmania’s 12 November 2026 round delivered 66 new invitations for skilled migrants, with ROI scores dipping to 313 (Subclass 190) and 71 (Subclass 491). The state’s aggressive nomination strategy presents an opportunity for employers and migrants as federal migration settings tighten elsewhere. ([roundwatch.com.au](https://roundwatch.com.au/))