Politics

Australian Election Issue: Immigration

APR 2 2025·Updated MAY 5 2025

Context

Above: Protesters from the Refugee Action Collective March through streets of Brisbane with placards and banners, on Jan. 19, 2025. Image credit: Joshua Prieto/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

The Facts

Overview: Australia has historically recorded annual net gains in overseas migration, though 2023-24 saw the first decrease since COVID-related border closures, with net migration dropping from 528,000 in 2022–23 to 260,000 in 2024–25. Australia’s immigration policies remain contentious, especially for refugees and asylum seekers, with recent legislative changes expanding deportation and detention powers. Asylum seekers, who mostly arrive by plane, largely come from Malaysia, China, India, Pakistan, and Vietnam.
Population
Department of Home Affairs Website
Guardian
Australian Bureau of Statistics
Current State: Australia allocated 185,000 permanent migration places for 2024–25 — including 132,200 for skilled migrants and 20,000 humanitarian spots. Of migrants who arrived in the financial year 2023-24, the median age was 27. More of the arrivals that year were female than male, with the Australian Bureau of Statistics recording a sex ratio of 99. Of the Australian states, New South Wales recorded the highest net gain that year, of 142,470 people. The top five birth countries of overseas migrants to Australia in 2023-24 were India, China, Australia, the U.K., and New Zealand.
Guardian
Au
Australian Bureau of Statistics
Immigration as an Election Issue: Immigration and asylum policy remain politically charged, yet low on Australian voters’ priority lists. Polling suggests broad public support for humane refugee policies, but tough border measures resonate with many. Polling in January showed a third of Australians backing the deporting of asylum seekers to their country of origin and 42% opposing it.
Guardian
Au
Guardian
Labor Party Pledges: The Albanese government's election pledges emphasize reforms to migration policy, including tightening student and skilled visa regulations with the goal of reducing exploitation and better matching workforce needs. However, 185,000 permanent migration places would remain, with refugee intake capped at 20,000. Under Albanese, the government further pledges to maintain refugee employment programs without significantly expanding humanitarian commitments.
SBS News
Refugee Council of Australia
Daily Mail
Coalition Pledges: The Coalition plans to cut permanent migration by 25% (185,000 to 140,000) to ease housing costs, targeting net overseas migration of 180,000 by 2026–27, aiming to free up as many as 18,000 homes yearly. They also vow to reduce international students in metro universities, ban foreign property buyers for two years, restore border security, and toughen detention for visa violators.
Liberal Party of Australia

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The Spin

Australian Labor Party narrative

Migration significantly boosts Australia's economic prosperity by increasing labor productivity and employment opportunities for Australian-born workers. A one percentage point rise in annual migrant inflow leads to a 0.53% increase in employment for the Australian-born population, benefiting workers across all skill levels, ages, and genders. Additionally, higher-educated migrants contribute to innovation, with a one percentage point increase in their regional employment share leading to a 4.8% rise in patent applications.

Population

Liberal/National Coalition narrative

The rapid increase in migration has created significant challenges for infrastructure and social services. The surge in international student arrivals, accounting for a large portion of migrant arrivals, necessitates caps on international student numbers for institutions and courses. The current migration levels are unsustainable and require careful management to ensure proper integration and support for both new arrivals and existing residents.

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