If you are finishing a course in Australia and planning to apply for a Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485), there is a rule change that affects whether your partner or children can be included. It applies to every 485 application made on or after 13 November 2026.
This guide explains what the new regulations say in plain English, who is still covered, and what to check before you lodge. It is general information, not advice about your own case.
What changed
The Migration Amendment (Temporary Graduate Visa Reform) Regulations 2026 were registered on 12 November 2026 and start the next day, 13 November 2026. They apply to any 485 application made on or after that date. Applications made earlier are not affected by the new rules.
The government says the aim is for the 485 to be about gaining work experience after study, rather than a way to bring in family members. This follows student visa changes from 2 October 2026 that also limited who a student can include.
Who can now be included as a partner or child
A family member can only be a secondary applicant on someone's 485 if at least one of these is true:
- 1.The main applicant holds a passport from a Pacific-regional country or one of ten ASEAN countries. The ASEAN countries named in the regulations are Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. The Pacific group has its own definition in the regulations, so check the official list for your passport.
- 2.The main applicant's most recent student visa was for a doctoral degree that has been completed.
- 3.The main applicant's studies were fully funded by a foreign government.
- 4.The family member is a child of the main applicant and was born after the main applicant's latest student visa or 485 was granted.
- 5.The family member already held a student visa as the main applicant's partner or child on 2 October 2026, or at any time in the 6 months before the 485 application is made, with the same main applicant.
- 6.The family member already held a 485 as the main applicant's partner or child now, or in the 6 months before the application, with the same main applicant.
If none of these applies, the family member cannot be included.
Apply together, not later
Any family member who is covered must apply at the same time as, and combined with, the main applicant's application. The old option of adding a partner or child to a visa after it was granted (called a subsequent entrant application) is gone. The fee for that option has also been removed from the regulations.
What happens to an application that does not meet the rules
An application that does not meet the new criteria is not a valid application. It cannot be granted and there is no review at the tribunal. Court review remains available. Check your position before you lodge, not after.
A worked example
Say a student is finishing a coursework Master's degree in December 2026 and plans to apply for a 485 in January 2027. Their partner has never been on their student visa.
| Situation | Can the partner be included? |
|---|---|
| Partner was included on the student visa and held it on 2 October 2026 or in the last 6 months | Yes, as a combined application at the same time |
| Partner was never on the student visa, the student's passport is not from a Pacific or ASEAN country, and the Master's is a coursework degree | No. None of the six cases applies |
| The couple has a child born after the student's visa was granted | The child can be included |
| The student's studies were fully funded by a foreign government scholarship | Yes, the partner can be included |
Everyone's facts are different, so use this table only to understand the idea.
Other changes in the same regulations
- •The old, closed Replacement stream criteria were removed.
- •Child welfare checks (custody rights and the best interests of the child) now also apply when the main applicant is under 18.
What to do now
- •Check your passport and course type against the six cases above.
- •Work out who needs to be on the application before you lodge, and lodge it together.
- •Talk to a registered migration agent about your own situation before you apply, especially if your family is not already on your student visa.
Sources
- •Federal Register of Legislation: Migration Amendment (Temporary Graduate Visa Reform) Regulations 2026
- •Federal Register of Legislation: the 2026 visa application charge regulations (F2026L00874), which set out the ASEAN country list in item 1222(5A)
- •Explanatory Statement for the Regulations
Planning a 485 with family?
If you are finishing your studies and are not sure who can be on your application, get in touch with the Afrovo team and tell us your situation. We can help you understand your options and connect you with a MARA-registered migration agent for your lodgement.
_General information only. This article is not legal or migration advice and is not a guarantee of any outcome. Visa rules are set by the Australian Government and can change at any time, so always confirm the current position with the Department of Home Affairs or a registered migration agent. Based on the regulations and explanatory statement registered on 12 November 2026. Last checked 12 November 2026. For guidance on your own situation, speak to the Afrovo team and our MARA-partnered registered migration agents._
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