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Graduate visa shake-up proposed: what Gulf-based families should weigh before choosing Australia

News · 2026-10-06 · 4 min read

For families in Dubai, Doha or Riyadh considering an Australian degree for a son or daughter, post-study work rights are often part of the long-term picture. On 6 October 2026, Australia's federal Opposition released a migration plan that would remove the temporary graduate visa. This is a policy proposal, not law. It would only take effect if the Liberal and National Coalition wins government and then changes the rules. Nothing has changed for students today.

What is on the table

Under the plan, temporary graduate visa numbers would shrink from 271,200 to 10,000 by 2031-32, with a four-year transition before the visa disappears. Graduates hoping to remain in Australia would need to go home first and lodge a separate temporary visa application. A carve-out would let some graduates stay if they work in priority fields such as health and education, or in some regional areas.

The proposal would also set new international student commencements at 240,000. The current planning level is 295,000, and the Government says the sector is heading towards 250,000 commencements this calendar year. More broadly, the plan targets net overseas migration of 100,000 in each of a Coalition government's first two years, rising to as much as 160,000 in year four.

The reasoning behind the proposal

The Opposition's case is that post-study work rights have been marketed as a route to permanent residence or citizenship rather than as part of an education. It says ending the visa would allow the migration program to concentrate on the skills Australia actually needs.

Where the India agreement fits in

A central point of debate is Australia's free trade agreement with India, which a former Coalition government signed. A side letter from April 2022 sets out how long former students may temporarily live, study and work in Australia after completing their qualification. Indian families, including those building careers across the Gulf, may find this part of the discussion especially relevant.

An industry association for international education argued that the plan could breach that agreement. India is the second largest source of international students in Australia, after China. The association described it as ironic that the Coalition would target the visa after negotiating those conditions, and warned that Australia would lose skilled health, IT and engineering workers after charging students for their qualifications. It also partly connected the growth in non-genuine students to a post-Covid decision by a former Coalition government to let students work more hours in key industries.

The Coalition rejects any suggestion of a treaty breach. Its position is that Australia's commitments are to offer temporary visa pathways for some students to remain for short periods after study, that Australia itself decides which visas meet that commitment, and that in government it would work with affected partner countries on which new pathways, skilled pathways among them, their citizens could use.

Concerns from universities and the Government

The peak body representing universities warned of lasting damage to higher education and the wider economy. In its view, tighter post-study work rights could leave Australia less attractive and less competitive for talented students and graduates just as more skilled people are needed.

The Government also criticised the plan. It argued that removing the visa would weaken Australia's appeal, prevent the country from selecting the brightest skilled graduates and hurt employers and industry. It pointed out that comparable countries all provide competitive post-study work options, and warned that many top students would go elsewhere, harming international education, which is Australia's fourth biggest export.

A considered approach for Gulf-based families

Whether your family is settled in the UAE or elsewhere in the Gulf, the sensible step is to plan around the rules in force today and follow official announcements. A proposal does not alter any visa unless a new government acts on it. If an Australian study plan forms part of your next move, keep your paperwork organised: an English test result (IELTS or PTE) where one is required, and police certificates from the UAE or another Gulf country as well as your home country if a police certificate is requested. Treat headlines about graduate visas as a prompt to check official information rather than a reason to change course overnight.

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