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Australia's Arrival Control Determination – New Laws to Temporarily Ban Travellers from Designated Countries
10 March 2026 7 min read
On 10 March 2026, the Australian Government introduced legislation to parliament that would allow it to temporarily ban people from travelling to Australia from designated countries. The move comes amid concerns that the ongoing conflict in the Middle East could lead to a surge in visa overstays and asylum claims from temporary visa holders.
The proposed amendment to the Migration Act 1958 was introduced by Assistant Minister for Citizenship Julian Hill, just 10 days after escalation in the Middle East conflict. Both the Government and the Coalition have expressed concern that the situation could result in more people seeking asylum once they arrive in Australia on temporary visas.
Under the proposed changes, the Home Affairs Minister would be empowered to issue an "arrival control determination" — a mechanism to temporarily restrict the entry of certain classes of temporary visa holders from nominated countries. Key features include:
The legislation includes several important exemptions. The following groups would not be affected by an arrival control determination:
The legislation has received bipartisan support from the Government and the Coalition. Shadow Foreign Affairs Minister Ted O'Brien confirmed the Coalition's in-principle backing, stating that the bill "provides the government with additional tools to temporarily restrict the arrival of certain classes of temporary visa holders, where circumstances overseas create a risk that people may not depart Australia when their visas expire."
However, the Greens have denounced the proposed laws. Greens leader Larissa Waters described the legislation as a "new low" for the government, calling it "an appalling act of cruelty." The Asylum Seeker Resource Centre also criticised the bill.
The legislation was expected to pass the House of Representatives on 10 March 2026, before being examined by a Senate inquiry. The Government has not named which specific countries it is considering for the travel restrictions.
If you hold a temporary visa (visitor, student, working holiday, or business visa) and are planning to travel to Australia from a region affected by conflict, you should be aware that these new powers could prevent you from boarding a flight to Australia — even if you hold a valid visa. We recommend monitoring developments closely and seeking professional migration advice before making travel arrangements.
Source: ABC News – "New laws to temporarily ban people coming to Australia from designated countries", 10 March 2026.