Australia's opposition pledges to scrap post-study work visa for most students
Representative image: 5480831 / Pixabay
Australia's Coalition said on 6 October 2026 it would end the 485 graduate visa for most students and cap new enrolments near 240,000 if it wins the 2028 vote.
What Happened
Australia's opposition Coalition, led by Angus Taylor, unveiled a migration policy on Tuesday, 6 October 2026 that would abolish the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) for most international graduates and hold new international student enrolments to about 240,000 a year. The 485 visa is the post-study work permit that lets students stay on and work in Australia after finishing a course. Under the plan, only PhD graduates, health and education graduates, and those who studied at regional universities would keep a post-study pathway. The proposal is an election pledge, not law: the next federal election is due in 2028, and the Labor government remains in charge of visa settings until then.
Key Facts
- The plan was announced on 6 October 2026 by Opposition Leader Angus Taylor as part of a wider migration overhaul.
- The Temporary Graduate (subclass 485) visa would end for most graduates; PhD, health, education and regional-university graduates would be exempt.
- New international student commencements would be capped at roughly 240,000 a year.
- Most dependants, such as partners and children of students, would face new limits, though partners of research-degree students would stay eligible.
- The Coalition wants to cut the number of temporary visa holders by about 650,000 over four years.
- The Group of Eight, which represents Australia's leading research universities, called for careful examination of the plan and noted that student numbers are already falling.
- Separate rules already in force since 2 October 2026 restrict onshore student visa applications and adding family members after a grant.
Why It Matters
For an Indian student weighing where to study abroad, the real question is rarely the degree alone. It is what happens after graduation. Australia's 485 visa has been one of its strongest selling points, giving graduates time to earn in Australian dollars, gain local experience and, for many, move towards permanent residence. Reports focused on the Indian diaspora note that Indian citizens are among the biggest users of this visa, so any threat to it lands hard on Indian families planning loans and timelines.
Taylor has defended the policy by arguing that universities should sell educational quality rather than migration routes, and he has said a large number of overseas students would still come and be allowed to work limited hours. The university sector sees it differently. Group of Eight chief executive Vicki Thomson said the group backs steps that protect the integrity of the system, but argued that policy should treat highly skilled students and researchers separately from broad cuts. She described keeping partner visa eligibility for research-degree students as a "sensible recognition" of their value.
The pledge does not change anything today. A student who lands in Australia in 2027 still applies under current rules. But it adds political risk to a four-year bachelor's or a two-year master's that would end around or after the 2028 vote. The Coalition has said details, including costings and transition terms, will come closer to the election, and has indicated that people already holding a 485 visa would not be affected. Until those details are released, students cannot know exactly how a change of government would affect them.
| Choice | What the pledge means |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's or master's at a city university | Post-study work visa would end if the plan becomes law |
| PhD or research degree | Post-study pathway and partner visa eligibility kept |
| Health or education degree | Exempt from the 485 cut |
| Regional university | Exempt from the 485 cut |
Impact
Short-term: Nothing changes for current applicants, who are assessed under the rules in force, including the tighter onshore and family-member rules that began on 2 October 2026. Agents and universities are likely to field more questions from worried families in India.
Long-term: If the Coalition wins in 2028 and legislates the plan, many coursework graduates would have to leave Australia and apply for a skilled visa from overseas. Course choices may shift towards research, health, teaching and regional campuses, which keep a pathway.
Who is affected: Prospective international students, including many from India, planning coursework degrees in Australia that would finish after 2028; their families funding the degree through loans; and Australian universities that depend on fee income from overseas students.
Key Takeaway
Australia's opposition wants to end post-study work visas for most international graduates, and while it is only a pledge until the 2028 election, students choosing a long course in Australia should factor in that risk now.
Questions and Answers
Has Australia scrapped the 485 post-study work visa?
No. The 485 visa still exists. The plan announced on 6 October 2026 is a policy of the opposition Coalition and would only take effect if it wins the next federal election, due in 2028, and passes the change.
Which graduates would keep a post-study work option under the Coalition plan?
PhD graduates, health and education graduates, and students who studied at regional universities would still have a post-study pathway. Most other coursework graduates would lose access to the Temporary Graduate visa.
I am applying to an Australian university for 2027. Do I need to change plans?
Current rules apply to your application, including the stricter onshore and family rules in force since 2 October 2026. The bigger question is whether your course ends after the 2028 election; if it does and post-study work is central to your plan, consider exempt fields, regional campuses or a backup country.
What did universities say about the proposal?
The Group of Eight said the plan needs careful examination and pointed out that international student numbers are already falling. Its chief executive argued highly skilled students and researchers should be treated separately from broad cuts.
Disclaimer: Prepared by the Peepals newsroom from publicly available sources with AI assistance. Information is accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication and may change. Images may be representative. Not professional advice. Report an error via our contact page.
Sourced and fact-checked by the Peepals Global Editorial Team
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Reported, fact-checked and published by the Peepals Global Editorial Team.
