Coalition targets 160,000 net migration intake
- Australia's federal Coalition announced a net overseas migration target building towards 160,000 annually, undercutting Labor's proposed limit by more than 60,000 arrivals.
- The policy directly alters rules for temporary visa holders, international students, and family reunion programmes starting in the 2028–29 financial year.
- The Opposition aims to tie overall migration numbers to local housing availability and essential infrastructure capacity.
The Coalition leadership group approved a migration policy setting Australia's eventual net overseas migration target at 160,000 arrivals per year.
This target contrasts with the current Australian net overseas migration level of 292,000 arrivals annually and the federal government target of 225,000.
"When people are under pressure, it’s not unusual to see that reflected in opinion polls," said Australian Government Treasurer Jim Chalmers.
The plan restricts student visa holders from bringing dependants and requires temporary migrants applying for new visas to leave Australia first.
Opposition Leader Angus Taylor stated that future immigration targets will be explicitly tied to housing availability and essential infrastructure needs.
Under the current federal government policies, net overseas migration is projected to decrease to 245,000 before reaching its long-term target.
Immigration now ranks as a top-five voter concern in public polling, behind cost of living, healthcare, and housing affordability.