Coalition migration policy would halve humanitarian visas, slash arrivals by 100,000
The Coalition plans to reduce migration by over 100,000 people by slashing humanitarian visas and low-skilled migrants.
Key Points
- Net overseas migration would be cut to 100,000, almost a third of current levels.
- New cuts to temporary visas, students and lower-skilled migrants
The Coalition has pledged to cut migrant numbers to 100,000 people if elected by focusing on “high value” migrants over family members and international students.
Liberal leader Angus Taylor would halve the number of humanitarian visas and has pledged to crack down on visa-hopping and overstayers.
The Coalition will boost immigration agency and border force funding to speed up the deportation of 77,000 “unlawful non-citizens”. Temporary graduate visas could be wholly abolished with a few exceptions.
The Coalition’s pitch for “less migration and more homes” links net annual overseas migration to the number of new homes built. Last year 170,000 homes were completed.
Taylor’s plan to reduce the 3 million temporary migrants in Australia tightens visa application pathways to stop visa-hopping by international students who use it to become temporary permanent migrants.
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Candidates such as international students would be forced to go offshore if they want to apply for another visa, which could push temporary migrants to leave Australia permanently.
This is a developing story and this article will be updated.
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