A significant new report has uncovered that more than 1.2 million temporary visa holders have established themselves in Australia since the pandemic began, sparking intense political debate about the nation's migration strategy.
Migration Numbers Spark Political Tension
The Australian Population Research Institute study revealed the substantial settlement figures, which include international students and tourists who have remained in the country. The report has prompted recommendations for the Coalition to consider cutting visa overstayers as they develop their migration policies.
Health Minister Mark Butler defended the government's current approach, pointing out that net migration numbers have decreased by approximately 40 percent since the post-COVID peak when people returned to Australia.
"We're looking to control our education intake as well, but balance that against what we need as an economy, as a society," Butler told Sunrise on Friday morning.
International Students: Vital to Key Sectors
Minister Butler emphasized the crucial role international students play in supporting essential services, particularly in aged care and disability support sectors.
"If you go to an aged care facility or if you look at people who are being supported with a disability out in the community, so many of them are international students who are supporting their education with part-time work in those sectors," Butler explained.
However, Liberal Senator Jane Hume strongly criticized Labor's management of migration, highlighting what she described as "a million new migrants over a two-year period" - representing a 70 percent increase compared to any previous two-year period.
Infrastructure and Housing Under Pressure
Senator Hume expressed concerns about the impact of these migration numbers on Australia's essential services and infrastructure.
"That puts pressure on our infrastructure, on our healthcare systems and on our housing," Hume stated, pointing to the practical consequences of rapid population growth.
She also revealed that approximately 10,000 temporary visa holders claimed refugee status after their visas expired last year, entering what she described as a lengthy appeals process.
Hume called for a more targeted approach to migration, stating: "We need to make sure that we bring in the skills that we need. Fewer yoga teachers and goat farmers and more construction workers and doctors and engineers."
The Coalition is expected to announce the principles of their immigration policy in the coming weeks, with Shadow Immigration Minister Dan Tehan currently working on the specific details.
Minister Butler acknowledged the ongoing challenge of balancing Australia's migration needs against infrastructure pressures, noting the country's strong job growth and low unemployment rates alongside persistent worker shortages in construction and aged care.
