Two things are law. The rest were announcements.
A lot of immigration news since mid September, and a lot of worry about changes that have not actually started. Here is what is in force and what is not.
Official source ↗There has been a lot of immigration news since mid September, and a lot of worry in the groups about changes that have not actually started. Here is the split as it stands today.
Already in force
Ministerial Directions 121 and 122, from 19 September 2026. They replaced Direction 119 and changed the order skilled visas are processed in.
- For a 482, the Specialist Skills stream now sits above onshore applicants.
- For 186, 189, 190, 191, 491 and 494, there is no stream tier, and onshore sits second behind the priority sectors.
The priority sectors are Construction, Healthcare, Teaching, Agriculture, Aquaculture, Fishing and Resources, plus law enforcement and defence interests.
Student visa changes, from 2 October 2026. Most existing student visa holders must now be outside Australia to apply for a new student visa. Exemptions include school students, doctoral students, Defence and Foreign Affairs students, students whose provider defaulted, and students progressing to a higher AQF level.
The old route of lodging offshore then returning on a Bridging visa A is closed. Where the restriction applies, you must be outside Australia when the decision is made.
Announced in September, not yet visible in the rules
- Migration target reduced to 225,000
- Working Holiday second and third year places moving to a ballot
- No Further Stay on new Visitor 600 grants
- Points test changes for skilled independent
- Family member restrictions on student and 485 visas
As of 5 October 2026, the Home Affairs pages for these visas still describe the current rules, with no change notices on them, and the department has published no news item about these measures. Each needs regulations or a legislative instrument before it applies.
How to check for yourself
If you want to know whether something has actually started, the visa own page on immi.homeaffairs.gov.au is the place to look. An announcement is not a rule, and the gap between the two is often months.
Visafold is not a migration agent and this is not advice about any individual case.