Scott Morrison arrives in Canberra ahead of calling the Federal Election

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has touched down in Canberra with the intention of meeting the Governor-General in the morning to call an election.

9News has confirmed Mr Morrison will name May 18 as the election date.

Mr Morrison flew into the Nation's Capital from Melbourne late last night.

READ MORE: Key seats to watch in federal election

Earlier this evening, the Mr Morrison posted a video to his social media accounts, appearing to kick off the election campaign.

Using his family as the focal point, the almost two-minute video showed Mr Morrison talking about “my vision for Australia”.

“I’m proud of how far our country has come over the past few years,” the post read.

“And I know there is still more work for us to do to make life better for all Australians. My vision for Australia is about everyone having the chance to realise their full potential.”

The expected announcement comes a week after a populist-themed surplus budget, which was aimed at bolstering the government's support ahead of the vote.

The election campaign comes as the two most recent opinion polls point to a Labor victory.

On a two-party preferred basis, Ipsos had Labor leading 53-47 and Newspoll put the gap at 52-48, despite the poll being Mr Morrison’s best result since seizing the prime ministership.

Mr Morrison will be battling for a majority government after the hung parliament which has hamstrung many of the government's policies.

But the Coalition is fending off challenges from all sides, with the Greens, Independents, One Nation and Labor all likely to snatch seats.

Both major parties have been engaged in a phantom election campaign for months, with Opposition Leader Bill Shorten hammering the government on low wages growth.

Mr Morrison meanwhile has used Labor's proposed changes to negative gearing as a cudgel against them.

The government will now go into caretaker mode, with no more parliament scheduled under after election day.

FEDERAL ELECTION: HOW WE GET THERE

With the budget brought forward to April 2, the prime minister is likely to set the poll for May 18.

Once the governor-general issues writs for an election, the government is in caretaker mode. That means it can't make decisions without the acquiescence of the opposition. 

With the addition of a new ACT seat, 151 MPs will be elected along with and half of Australia's 76 senators. 

To win majority government either party needs to win 76 seats in the House of Representatives. 

The coalition goes into the election holding 74 lower house seats; Labor has 69. 

Labor needs to gain seven seats on a uniform swing of one per cent from the 2016 election. After a redrawing of electoral boundaries and the Wentworth by-election, the coalition starts notionally with 73 seats with Labor on 72.

ELECTION 2019 KEY POINTS

- Will be a half Senate and full House election, unlike the last election in 2016 when it was a double dissolution.

- Polls show Labor is the favourite, averaging just under 54 per cent of the two-party result.

- To be held under new House of Representatives seat boundaries.

- 151 seats instead of current 150, due to population growth

- Victoria (Fraser) and ACT (Bean) gain a seat. SA loses a seat (Port Adelaide; Sitting member Labor's Mark Butler to run in Hindmarsh instead)

- Liberal-Nationals government starts with 74 seats, Labor 69, 7 others - four independent (Wilkie, McGowan, Phelps, Banks), one Centre Alliance (Sharkie), one Green (Bandt), one Katter's Australian Party (Katter).]

- Under redrawn boundaries, Labor expected to start favourite in new seats in ACT and Victoria, giving it a two-seat head start.

- It is the first major electoral test for Prime Minister Scott Morrison. Last one in 2016 ended in a one-seat majority for the coalition under Malcolm Turnbull.

- Bill Shorten is longest serving opposition leader since Kim Beazley. His seat of Maribyrnong has been made more marginal due to boundary changes.

- Senate numbers (76 total): 31 coalition; 26 Labor; 9 Greens; 2 Pauline Hanson's One Nation; 2 Centre Alliance; 1 Liberal Democrats; 1 Derryn Hinch's Justice Party; 1 Australian Conservatives; 1 Katter's Australian Party; 1 United Australia Party; 1 Independent.

- Minor parties will find it harder to win or retain seats as there is a higher vote quota in the Senate than during the double-dissolution election.

- First time in four decades that the PM and Treasurer are working dads with young children. Last pair of this nature was Malcolm Fraser and John Howard.