Opposition leader Angus Taylor announced the Coalition would slash net overseas migration to 100,000 annually for two years if elected, describing it as "the biggest cut to immigration in the history" of Australia. The plan responds to growing anti-migration sentiment that One Nation and Labor have also targeted.
After the initial two-year period at 100,000, Taylor's proposal would raise migration to 130,000 in year three and 160,000 in year four. The opposition leader did not specify the total number of temporary visas the plan would eliminate, though the headline references a cut of 650,000.
The Coalition's policy includes several specific mechanisms. Visa applicants would face tougher screening. The temporary skilled priority list would be revised. A new strike force would clear backlogs in skilled construction applications to address workforce shortages. The talent and innovation allocation would double to 7,000 places through a new Aukus and Five Eyes visa category. Student visas would be linked to enrolling institutions. A new agriculture visa would begin in 2030.
Taylor presented the policy as a response to pressure from the right. One Nation and the Labor government have both moved to capitalise on anti-migration sentiment among voters. The announcement places immigration restriction at the center of Coalition campaign messaging ahead of the next Australian federal election.
No details appear in the source material about how the Coalition would enforce the net migration target, which sectors would face the largest cuts, or what impact the reduction might have on Australian industries or the broader economy. The source does not include responses from the government, industry groups or migration advocates.