Australia’s Labour government has introduced plans to reduce the number of migrants entering the country, aiming to address public dissatisfaction with the increasing cost of living following the post-pandemic surge.
The proposed measures, announced by the centre-left government, encompass stricter entry criteria for various groups, from foreign students to low-skilled workers. These include elevated English-language requirements and higher wage thresholds.
In the last year, approximately half a million temporary migrants entered Australia, marking a post-pandemic boom after years of closed borders.
The government anticipates that the reforms, combined with short-term trends, will bring the annual migrant number closer to 250,000 by 2024-2025. Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil stated, “We are going to make sure that we bring numbers back under control,” outlining components of a 100-page strategy.
Despite near-record employment rates, Australians have expressed mounting frustration at surging prices and an intensely competitive real estate market.
Responding to concerns about the impact of immigration on rising rental costs, the government, on Sunday, announced a significant increase in fees for foreigners purchasing homes and leaving them vacant. Rental prices in certain areas of Sydney and Melbourne have surged by approximately 25% in the last year.
While emphasizing the importance of immigration to Australia’s prosperity, Minister O’Neil acknowledged public unease and committed to building a better-planned system, particularly concerning essential aspects like housing.
However, some experts view the immigration reforms as being driven as much by political considerations as by policy objectives.
Rachel Stevens, an immigration history expert at the Australian Catholic University, cautioned against linking the cost of living with migration, calling it misleading and potentially scapegoating the 2.2 million people on temporary visas. She emphasized the impact of rising interest rates, market surges post-Covid lockdowns, and other factors on living costs.
Stevens suggested that the Labour government might be influenced by rising poll numbers of the conservative opposition, and she cautioned against solely attributing economic challenges to migrants. Opposition leader Peter Dutton criticized the government’s migration program, citing congestion and strained infrastructure in Australian cities.
