On 17 September 2026 the Minister for Home Affairs announced a redesigned skilled points test and a No Further Stay condition for visitor visas. As at 6 November 2026 neither is in force. We found no start date, no new point values and no regulation for either. The points test that decides 189, 190 and 491 invitations is still the current one. This guide separates what was announced from what applies today.
Key Takeaways
- Points test redesign: announced, not in force. Selected skills such as the housing trades are to score like a university qualification "on implementation". No start date or new values are published.
- Visitor No Further Stay: announced, not in force. Home Affairs says it will apply to all visitor visas. The Minister said it will not apply to protection applications.
- Already in force from the same package: Directions 121 and 122 on processing priority (19 September 2026) and the Student visa family restrictions (2 October 2026).
- Home Affairs says the package will be rolled out progressively over the next 12 months.
Announced Versus In Force
The 17 September package had several parts, and they are at different stages. The table shows the status of each on 6 November 2026.
| Measure | What was announced | Status on 6 November 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Redesigned points test | Reworked with Treasury, with an uplift for selected skills so housing trades score like a university qualification | Announced. The Home Affairs points table still shows the current values. No start date or new values found. |
| No Further Stay on visitor visas | A No Further Stay condition on visitor visas, protection claims aside | Announced. No start date found. |
| Skilled processing priorities | Update of Direction 119 to add priority sectors | In force as Directions 121 and 122 from 19 September 2026 |
| Student visa restrictions | Limits on secondary applicants on most student visas | In force from 2 October 2026 |
| Family on graduate visas | No attaching of family members to graduate visas | Announced. The 485 page still allows family. No start date found. |
The only official source we found for the points test redesign is the Minister's National Press Club address. The media release of the same day and the Home Affairs policy changes page do not list it, which is one reason to treat the redesign as an intention, not a rule.
The Points Test Redesign
The Minister said the points test was redone in consultation with Treasury to get the best economic benefit from skilled migrants. He said it will be able to give an uplift to chosen skills so that they are treated as a higher level of qualification. His one example: on implementation, anyone skilled in the housing trades will receive the same points as for a university qualification.
What the points test gives today
The Home Affairs points table for the 189, last updated on 4 November 2026, is the test in force. Key rows:
| Factor | Points today |
|---|---|
| Age | 18 to under 25: 25. 25 to under 33: 30. 33 to under 40: 25. 40 to under 45: 15 |
| English | Competent: 0. Proficient: 10. Superior: 20 |
| Qualification (highest only) | Doctorate: 20. Bachelor degree of a recognised standard: 15. Australian diploma or trade qualification: 10. Qualification recognised by the assessing authority for your occupation: 10 |
| Skilled employment outside Australia | 3 to under 5 years: 5. 5 to under 8: 10. 8 or more: 15 |
| Skilled employment in Australia | 1 to under 3 years: 5. 3 to under 5: 10. 5 to under 8: 15. 8 or more: 20 (total employment points capped at 20) |
| Australian study requirement | 5 |
| Professional Year in Australia, or study in regional Australia | 5 each |
| Partner | Partner meets age, English and skills tests: 10. Partner has competent English: 5. Single, or partner is a citizen or permanent resident: 10 |
Today the gap between a bachelor degree and an Australian diploma or trade qualification is 5 points. That is not a forecast of the uplift, because the Minister gave no new values. He also did not say which other skills will be uplifted, whether the pass mark changes, or how expressions of interest already submitted will be treated. Our PR points calculator and the pages on the subclass 189 reflect the test in force.
What this means for Indian applicants
- Decide on today's rules. Invitations continue under the current test. The 15 October 2026 round invited 20,000 applicants for the 189.
- Trade-qualified applicants: a housing-trade qualification may gain, but the term is undefined and the values are unknown. Complete your skills assessment now. See our skills assessment guide.
- ICT, accounting and other professionals: nothing announced raises points for these occupations. The processing order in Directions 121 and 122 does not name them either. Our program and processing order guide explains the Directions.
- Be careful with offers. Nobody can calculate points under a test with no published values.
Visitor Visas and No Further Stay
What the condition does
Home Affairs says a No Further Stay condition (condition 8503) means you cannot apply for most temporary and permanent visas while you are in Australia. You can ask for a waiver only for a major change after the visa was granted that was out of your control, such as a medical reason, the death or serious illness of close family, a natural disaster, or war or civil unrest at home. Marriage or starting a de facto relationship with an Australian citizen or permanent resident is not a reason for a waiver, and a refused waiver cannot be reviewed by the Administrative Review Tribunal.
What was announced
The Home Affairs policy changes page says the Government will introduce a No Further Stay condition to all visitor visas so that they are used by genuine visitors and not as a pathway to extend a stay. In his speech the Minister said it will not apply to protection applications and will not affect anyone already in Australia, because it concerns future visas. He said that today a visitor who applies for another visa onshore moves to a bridging visa, so officers refuse visitor visas for weddings and family events because they cannot be satisfied the visit is temporary. He said the change will let the Department issue those visas.
What it could mean for families in India
This is our reading, not published rules. Parents or partners who visit on a visitor visa (AUD 250 for the Tourist stream applied for outside Australia, Business Visitor and Sponsored Family; AUD 630 for the Tourist stream applied for in Australia) and then plan to lodge another visa from inside Australia could be blocked once the condition applies, unless they win a waiver. Plan family visa applications from the right place before anyone travels. See our visitor visa and family visas pages.
Not yet known: the start date, whether visas granted before the start date but used after it are caught, whether every stream is covered in the same way, and any change to the waiver rules.
What to Do While the Details Are Missing
Treat today's rules as the rules
File and plan under the points table and visitor visa conditions Home Affairs shows now. Do not rely on a start date you have only seen on a blog or social media.
Keep your expression of interest and evidence current
Check each claim against the documents you would need to produce, because a new test would still require proof.
Take advice before a visiting relative travels
If the visit may turn into an onshore application, settle the plan first. A condition on the visa can close options after arrival.
Recheck before you lodge
Read the Migration Policy Changes page, the points table and the visa page on the day. Graduates should also recheck the family rule on the 485 guide.
Check Your Score Under the Test in Force
Our PR points calculator uses the current Home Affairs table, so you can see where you stand before any redesign.
Free PR Points CalculatorFrequently Asked Questions
Is the redesigned points test in force?
No. The Minister announced it on 17 September 2026. The Home Affairs points table for the Skilled Independent (189) visa, last updated on 4 November 2026, still shows the current values, and we found no start date, new point values or regulation for the redesign.
Do housing trades earn extra points now?
No. The Minister said that on implementation anyone skilled in the housing trades will receive the same points as for a university qualification. Until then the current table applies, which gives 15 points for a bachelor degree and 10 for an Australian diploma or trade qualification.
Will my existing expression of interest be recalculated?
That is not known. We found no published transitional rule, so keep your claims accurate and your evidence current.
Should I wait for the new test before submitting an expression of interest?
Nothing published says the current test is paused. The 15 October 2026 round invited 20,000 applicants for the 189. The new values are unknown, so decide on today's rules.
Which visitor visas will carry No Further Stay?
The Home Affairs policy changes page says a No Further Stay condition will be introduced for all visitor visas. In his speech the Minister said it cannot apply to a protection application. The start date and the treatment of each stream have not been published.
I am a parent visiting my child in Australia on a visitor visa now. Does the change apply to me?
The Minister said it will have no impact on anyone already in Australia, because it concerns the issue of future visas. He did not say how visas granted before the start date but used after it will be treated, so check that point before you travel.
Where will the official start dates appear?
Watch the Australian Government Migration Policy Changes page, the points table and visitor visa pages on Home Affairs, and the Minister's website. Home Affairs says the changes will be rolled out progressively over the next 12 months.
Sources
- Minister for Home Affairs, National Press Club address, 17 September 2026: https://minister.homeaffairs.gov.au/TonyBurke/Pages/speech-national-press-club-17092026.aspx
- Minister for Home Affairs media release, 17 September 2026: https://minister.homeaffairs.gov.au/TonyBurke/Pages/migration-reform-end-rorts-bring-skills-australia-needs-strong-economy.aspx
- Australian Government Migration Policy Changes: https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/australian-government-migration-policy-changes
- Points table for Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189): https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/skilled-independent-189/points-table
- SkillSelect invitation rounds: https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/working-in-australia/skillselect/invitation-rounds
- No further stay waiver: https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/already-have-a-visa/check-visa-details-and-conditions/waivers-and-permissions/no-further-stay-waiver
- Visitor visa (subclass 600), Tourist stream outside Australia: https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/visitor-600/tourist-stream-overseas
- Current visa pricing: https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/fees-and-charges/current-visa-pricing
- Skilled visa processing priorities: https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-processing-times/skilled-visa-processing-priorities
- Student visa (subclass 500): https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/student-500
- Temporary Graduate visa, Post-Higher Education Work stream: https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/temporary-graduate-485/post-higher-education-work
Based on the pages above, opened on 6 November 2026. General information, not legal advice. Announced changes can be amended before they start, so confirm before you act.