6 October 2026The Coalition has set out a migration plan that would sharply cut net migration, temporary visas and the humanitarian intake.
Featured image: Parliament House in Canberra. Photo: Dietmar Rabich, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Key facts
- Net migration would fall to 100,000 a year for three years, then 160,000 a year.
- Net migration is currently around 300,000 a year.
- Temporary visa holders would be cut by 650,000 over four years.
- The humanitarian intake would be halved to 10,000 a year.
- International student commencements would be limited to 240,000.
What the plan proposes
Opposition Leader Angus Taylor announced that a Coalition government would reduce net migration to 100,000 a year for three years before lifting it to 160,000 a year. Net migration is currently around 300,000 a year. SBS reported that the 100,000 figure is about 60,000 below the intake planned by Labor.
Taylor also proposed a net migration cap tied to housing availability, so that arrivals reflect the supply of homes.
Visa and student changes
The plan would reduce the number of temporary visa holders by 650,000 over four years. Second and later temporary visa applications would have to be made offshore. International student commencements would be reduced to 240,000, and the humanitarian intake would be halved to 10,000 a year.
Reaction
Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief executive Andrew McKellar said the sharp cut would diminish growth. Catholic Social Services Australia described the proposed humanitarian cut as a stain on the nation’s conscience.
Follow-up a week later
On 13 October Taylor said trust in the migration program is eroding, citing about 400,000 bridging visas compared with 70,000 ten years earlier. The chamber questioned him on the effect on businesses and farms that rely on overseas workers, and the Coalition denied the plan would harm small businesses.
