If you are finishing your studies in Australia and planning to apply for a Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485), there is a change to check before you lodge. For applications made on or after 13 November 2026, family members can only be included in limited cases.

What has changed

The Migration Amendment (Temporary Graduate Visa Reform) Regulations 2026 commence on 13 November 2026. They change who can apply as a secondary applicant, meaning a family member included in the main applicant's 485 application. There are two parts:

  1. A family member can only apply if one of the situations listed below applies.
  2. Even then, the family member must apply at the same time as the main applicant, in a combined application. Adding family to an existing 485 visa is no longer possible.

When can family be included?

A secondary applicant can apply only if at least one of the following applies.

Based on the main applicant

  • The main applicant holds a passport from a Pacific-regional country, or from a country specified in subitem 1222(5A) of Schedule 1 to the Migration Regulations (the explanatory statement describes these as ASEAN countries).
  • The main applicant's most recent Student visa was granted in relation to a doctoral degree that has been completed.
  • The main applicant's most recent Student visa was granted in relation to courses of study that were each fully funded by a foreign government.

Based on the family member

  • The family member is a child of the main applicant and was born after the main applicant's most recent Student or 485 visa was granted.
  • The family member holds a Student visa as a secondary applicant, or held one on 2 October 2026 or within the 6 months before the application is made, with the same main applicant as the primary.
  • The family member holds a 485 visa as a secondary applicant, or held one within the 6 months before the application is made, with the same main applicant as the primary.

What happens if a family member does not qualify

An application that does not meet these requirements is not a valid application. According to the explanatory statement, the Minister is not to consider an invalid application, and merits review is not available. This is why it is worth checking each family member's position before anyone lodges.

Why the rules changed

The explanatory statement says the measures are intended to reinforce the purpose of the 485 visa, which is to give recent international graduates access to Australian work experience, rather than to act as a pathway for family migration. It also notes that the Student visa reforms, which took effect on 2 October 2026, already restricted the ability of students to include family members.

What to check before you lodge

  • Which category of Student visa your most recent grant fell under, and whether it relates to a completed doctorate or to fully government-funded study.
  • Whether your passport falls within the Pacific-regional or subitem 1222(5A) group.
  • Each family member's visa history and dates, including whether they held a Student or 485 visa as a secondary applicant in the last 6 months.
  • Whether your family members can be included in the same application as yours.

Frequently asked questions

Does this apply to applications I have already lodged? The amendments apply to applications made on or after 13 November 2026 (item 17001 of Schedule 13). If you are unsure how this applies to your situation, speak with a registered migration agent before taking any step.

Can I add my partner to my 485 visa after it is granted? The explanatory statement says the effect of the change is that a visa holder cannot add family members to an existing visa. Family who are eligible must apply together with the main applicant.

Which countries count as Pacific-regional or ASEAN? The regulation refers to a Pacific-regional country and to countries specified in subitem 1222(5A) of Schedule 1. Check your passport against the Regulations or Department of Home Affairs information before relying on this.

Not sure which category you fall into?

Eligibility depends on your own Student visa history, your passport and each family member's visa record. Southern Stone's registered migration agents in Melbourne can review your situation before you lodge. Book a consultation.

As at 12 November 2026. Sources: Migration Amendment (Temporary Graduate Visa Reform) Regulations 2026 (F2026L01500) and its Explanatory Statement, legislation.gov.au; Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485), Department of Home Affairs. General information only, not migration advice for your personal circumstances.