The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) will acquire visa-related data from the Department of Home Affairs across the 2026–27 to 2028–29 financial years, as part of a new data-matching program aimed at strengthening tax and superannuation compliance.
The program was announced via a gazette notice on the Federal Register of Legislation on 21 September 2026. The ATO estimates that records relating to approximately 9 million individuals will be obtained each financial year.
Data items to be shared include:
- address history for visa applicants and sponsors
- contact history for visa applicants and sponsors
- address history for migration agents
- contact history for migration agents
- history of visa granted (active visa holders)
- person visa status at a point in time
- migration agents (visa application preparer who assisted or facilitated the processing of the visa)
- all international travel movements undertaken by visa holders (arrivals and departures)
- sponsor details (457 visa)
- visa subclass name
- education providers (educational institution where the student visa holder intends to undertake their study).
Objectives of the program include:
- Ensuring visa holders, sponsors and migration agents meet their tax and superannuation obligations
- Promoting voluntary compliance and strengthening community confidence in system integrity
- Refining the ATO’s understanding of tax and super risks associated with the visa population
- Identifying new or emerging fraud methods, including exploitation of the visa framework
- Cancelling ABNs held by ineligible holders
- Supporting compliance activities under Australia’s foreign investment rules
The program operates in line with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner’s Guidelines on Data Matching in Australian Government Administration (2014), ensuring compliance with the Australian Privacy Principles and the Privacy Act 1988.
Click here: Gazette notice: Commissioner of Taxation – Notice of a visa data-matching program 21 September 2026
