Coalition unveils plan for ‘biggest cut to immigration in Australian history’

The Coalition has unveiled its revamped migration policy, aiming to cut the number of migrants to 100,000 a year, a third of the current intake.

Opposition leader Angus Taylor confirmed the target during a press conference on Tuesday, describing it as “the biggest cut to immigration in the history of this country”.

Net overseas migration would be capped at 100,000 in the first and second years of a Coalition government, then rise to 160,000 by year four.

The Coalition would also cut the number of temporary visa holders by 650,000 over four years – or 162,500 a year.

The proposed net migration target of 100,000 in the first year of a Coalition government is significantly lower than One Nation’s 130,000 and the 225,000 pushed by Labor.

The current net migration figure up to March 2026 was about 292,000 arrivals per year.

The Coalition says it’s aiming towards a yearly target of 160,000 and increases would prioritise skilled migrants.

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Despite the overall temporary visa cut, Taylor said the Coalition would increase temporary skilled visas by 100,000.

Priority would be given to workers needed in areas including health, construction, regional Australia and small business.

The Coalition argued the approach would allow it to bring overall migration down while increasing the proportion of skilled migrants needed in Australia.

Working holidaymakers would also face higher visa fees, but those who complete regional work requirements would be exempt from the hike.

The Coalition says that would help maintain seasonal workforces in regional Australia, including agriculture and hospitality.

Opposition home affairs spokesperson Jonathon Duniam said the Coalition would also abandon Labor’s proposed ballot and caps for working holidaymakers.

Tighter rules around the refugee system were also flagged to allow speedier rejections of protection visas.

In a sign current regulations were being abused by people seeking to stay in Australia longer, 230 citizens from the UK applied for asylum in the past year, according to The Sydney Morning Herald.

The Coalition has also previously pledged an extra $180 million to immigration enforcement, with Taylor saying there are about 77,000 visa overstayers in Australia.

Duniam said that funding would help detect people who have exhausted their legal right to remain in Australia and facilitate their removal.

The Coalition also plans to abolish temporary graduate visas, with Taylor accusing universities of selling migration pathways rather than focusing solely on education.

Under the plan, graduates who wanted to remain in Australia would instead need to qualify for another visa category, including skilled visas where eligible.

Taylor said the policy was designed to prevent Australia’s population from again increasing through migration at a rate the housing supply could not support.

“This is a completely unsustainable situation, and it will not happen under a Liberal-National government,” he said.

Taylor said Australia needed time for housing and infrastructure to catch up after net overseas migration peaked at about 550,000 under Labor – a post-pandemic surge that followed negative migration as borders shut in response to COVID-19.

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Taylor is hoping to claw back votes from Pauline Hanson’s One Nation with the new policy, which was presented to Coalition MPs before being publicly announced.

This week’s The Australian Financial Review/RedBridge Group/Accent Research poll showed immigration was a top-five concern for voters, with One Nation judged the best to manage the issue.

The Coalition was polled as being the best to manage the economy, it now wants to seize the migration mantle.

Taylor said the Coalition had sought costings and analysis from the Parliamentary Budget Office on the plan and was confident the package would not have a negative impact on the budget.