The Australian government unveiled a fresh 10-year immigration strategy on Monday, aiming to overhaul its struggling immigration system. The plan involves slashing migration intake by roughly 50% within two years, aiming to cap the annual intake at 250,000 by June 2025.
Alongside this reduction, the strategy tightens visa regulations for international students and low-skilled workers. The country, grappling with housing and infrastructure strains due to soaring migration levels, seeks to address these challenges.
Despite these adjustments, Australia faces difficulty in attracting skilled workers to meet labor market demands.
Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil, in a media briefing, criticized the previous government for leaving the migration system in disarray, emphasizing its complexity, slowness, and inefficiency as highlighted in an earlier review this year.
Committing to regaining control, O’Neil pledged substantial cuts in annual migration intake following a record influx of 510,000 arrivals in the year up to June 2023.
The government has imposed stricter English-language prerequisites for international students and enhanced scrutiny for second visa applicants.
With 650,000 foreign students, including many seeking a second visa, the government also fine-tuned visa pathways for individuals with specialized or crucial skills to bolster their prospects for permanent residency.
These new policies aim to attract necessary skilled workers while safeguarding residents and migrants from exploitation within the country, according to O’Neil. However, opposition migration spokesman Dan Tehan criticized the government for delayed adjustments to migration policies necessary for Australia’s post-pandemic recovery.
The Labor government has faced declining popularity since its election, prompting calls to temporarily curtail migration to ease Australia’s housing crisis.
Conversely, the Business Council of Australia contends that migrants are unfairly blamed for housing inadequacies and policy failures, highlighting the need for improved investment in affordable housing.
