pexels muneeb babar Muneeb Babar/ Pexels On Tuesday, the Coalition announced three migration policy proposals that directly affect international education. Two of these overlap with recent federal government changes. These are restricting international students’ ability to bring their partners and children to Australia, and limiting onshore applications for student visas. The third is a more significant difference with the government. Opposition Leader Angus Taylor announced plans to “abolish” temporary graduate visas, if the Coalition wins the next federal election.These are the visas that let some some vocational and most higher education graduates remain in Australia with full work rights for 18 months or more. What’s happening to partners and children?Labor’s previously announced restrictions on international students bringing their partners and children to Australia came into force last week. The government has exceptions to its ban. This includes PhD students and students from Pacific Islands, Timor-Leste and ASEAN member countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam. On my calculations using 2025–26 visa grants, these exemptions would have covered 11,564 partners and children. In 2025–26 another 34,426 partners and children not in these categories would have been denied visas if current policies had been in place.The Coalition says it will restrict visas for “most” partners and children of students, also signalling some exceptions. It remains to be seen whether these will be more limited that the exceptions already in place.Either the Labor or Coalition versions of this policy are likely to have significant effects. For some students, bringing a working partner is necessary to finance study in Australia. Even when money is not a factor, two or more years of separation from family will deter prospective international students. This suggests a large proportion of partnered international students will not come to Australia.Restricted onshore applicationsUntil 2024, applications for a student visa could be made either onshore in Australia or offshore. In 2024, the federal government stopped tourists and former students with temporary graduate visas making onshore student visa applications. This stops them prolonging their time in Australia by enrolling in a course. Last week, the government added working holiday visa holders and students who are not moving up a qualification level to the list of people who cannot lodge onshore student visa applications. The Coalition now says they will “require second and subsequent temporary visa applications to be made offshore”.This appears more radical than Labor’s policy. Since March 2024, those applying for a second student visa have needed to show “logical course progression” (for example, going from a diploma to a bachelors’ degree). This change has already limited sideways or downwards moves. As of last week, there is now a formal requirement to move up a qualification level when applying for another student visa. With 109,634 onshore student visas granted in 2025–26, along with 24,779 partners and children, the Coalition policy would significantly change how student visas are allocated. At absolute minimum, it would reduce the number of people in Australia on bridging visas. As of 31 December 2025, 107,449 people were in Australia on bridging visas while waiting for a student visa application to be resolved.Cuts to temporary graduate visasIf former international students want to remain in Australia, the most popular way is through a temporary graduate visa. In 2025–26 the number of temporary graduate visa grants outnumbered onshore student visa grants, 144,063 to 134,413.Getting a temporary graduate visa is expensive but straightforward compared with a student visa. Students with a bachelor degree or higher qualification don’t need to show their skills or qualifications are needed in Australia. They get at least a two-year visa. International students with a vocational education qualification need skills on a government list. They get 18-month visas. The federal government has made several changes to moderate temporary graduate visa numbers. It has shortened visa lengths, reduced the maximum age for these visas from 50 to 35 years, and this year, increased the temporary graduate visa application fee from A$2,300 to $5,750. But the post-COVID international student boom means large cohorts of students are now completing their courses and becoming eligible for temporary graduate visas. The Coalition says that it will abolish temporary graduate visas but create new “post-study transitional visas” for “students completing PhDs, studying health or education, or studying at regional universities”. In 2025, 18% of higher education international students were PhD students or enrolled in bachelor or postgraduate coursework degrees in health or education. In 2024, 8% of international students were enrolled in universities with headquarters outside Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Canberra or Perth. The definition of “regional” will be important here. Many regional university international students study at capital-city office-block learning centres. What are the consequences for students?The Coalition exceptions mean migration-focused international students can aim for qualifications in health and education. International enrolments in these fields have already increased in recent years, possibly in the belief that these are pathways to further visas. These exceptions aside, abolishing the temporary graduate visa would deliver a large additional blow to international education. The opportunity to work in Australia after graduating currently helps former international students earn money after completing their courses. The temporary graduate visa is also a pathway to permanent residency. What does this mean for education providers?All education providers offering international education are suffering now – given many policy changes since 2023. Things would be even worse for them under Coalition policies. The Coalition estimates its policies would reduce international student numbers from 528,000 in 2025–26 to 456,000 in 2031–32. But not all education providers will suffer equally. Universities focused on South Asian markets such as India or Nepal will be most affected. They have relatively high numbers of partners and children come with them. They are the largest group with temporary graduate visas. Universities focused on the China market will be less affected. Chinese students have low rates of bringing partners and children with them. They are also less likely to apply for temporary graduate visas. When will we have stability?Under any potential federal government, the number of international students looks set to decline. While the education sector – and international students – will have to accept this, it can reasonably ask for policy stability. After three years of constant policy change to try and stem the growth of international students, clear rules everyone can plan around are needed. Unfortunately, the broader political turmoil around migration means there’s little chance of that.Andrew Norton works for Monash University, which has significant international student revenue. On three occasions between 1997 and 2017 he provided formal advice on higher education to Liberal governments.