Australia Student visa - Dependents & family

Students under 18 applying for an Australian student visa generally must provide parental consent and evidence of appropriate welfare arrangements. These arrangements generally need to stay in place until the student turns 18. The Genuine Student requirement also applies to every applicant.

If you are on a general undergraduate or postgraduate course, check eligibility before assuming you can bring family to Australia, since PhD students remain exempt. Switching courses to extend your stay works best when you move to a higher qualification level.

Yes, your spouse can join you on your Subclass 500 visa and gain unlimited full-time work rights, since you are studying a Master's degree. Include them as a secondary applicant in your original application, or add them later as a subsequent entrant through ImmiAccount.

If you study a Master's or PhD in Australia, your spouse gets unlimited work rights, but Bachelor's dependents are capped at 48 hours a fortnight. New Zealand works similarly, granting an open work visa for Master's study, while Bachelor's dependents qualify only via the Green List.

In Australia, your dependent gets unlimited full time work rights for a Master's or PhD, but only 48 hours per fortnight for a Bachelor's. In Canada, your spouse gets an open work permit only if your Master's runs 16 months or longer; Bachelor's degrees do not qualify.

No, dependent visas are not automatically available for every postgraduate course. In the UK, only PhDs, research master's degrees, or government-sponsored scholarships allow dependents, while a standard taught master's does not. Australia is more flexible, generally allowing dependents for both coursework and research master's degrees if you meet financial requirements.