Temporary visa holders in Australia soars to an all-time high of 2.639 million people.
Federal Labor have been in government since May 2022. Since June 2022 there has been a huge increase in temporary visa holders arriving in Australia.
Economist Leith van Onselen argues that Labor turbo-charged temporary visa arrivals by:
Extending the unlimited work cap by an additional year.
Extending post study work rights for an additional two years; and
Increasing the permanent migrant intake by 35,000 to a record high 195,000, thereby increasing the chances of students gaining permanent residency
Extending post study work rights has resulted in a significant rise of nearly 95,000 temporary visa holders accessing this visa since June 2022 (see Table 1 below).
And without any hint of government responsibility to make sure enough housing is available for Australian citizens. Labor have unleashed an extreme net overseas migration policy on the Australian public. Resulting in an all-time high NOM figure of 454,400 for the year ending March 2023
This represents a five-fold increase compared to the long-term average. From 1974-2004, net overseas migration averaged about 89,000 migrants per year.
NOM is predicted to catapult out to 500,000 net migrants for this financial year 2022-23.
There is no sign Labor has any intention of putting the brakes on their outrageous net migration targets. Perhaps this will be their own undoing at the next election. We certainly hope so.
Highest number of Temporary visa holders on record
In September 2023, Australia reached the highest number of temporary visa holders on record. Reaching the enormous amount of 2.639 million foreign nationals granted temporary visas currently residing in Australia (see Figure 1 below).
This amounts to an increase of 710,569 temporary migrants since Federal Labor have been in government. This is based on data published by the Department of Home Affairs. And relates to the difference in numbers of Temporary visa holders in Australia on 30 June 2022 compared to 30 September 2023
This huge increase in temporary migrants is clearly putting significant pressure on an already overloaded housing market. Many of those temporary migrants are competing with Australians for employment. This huge number of migrants will also put extra demand on infrastructure and essential services.
Temporary visa holders also require public and private transport. Adding to traffic congestion in Australian cities.
The increase in temporary migrants since June 30, 2022, is more than the population of Canberra and Hobart combined (709,385 people).
Of the 2.639 million temporary visa entrants currently in Australia, 339,919 are foreign visitors.
Australia has a significant problem with overseas visitors arriving in Australia by plane and overstaying their tourist visas. Some are applying for bridging visas and thousands are lodging applications for asylum.
(Source: Australian Government, Department of Home Affairs, September 2023)
Any signs that Labor will change immigration policy onto a more moderate course?
To date the Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil has not changed tack despite all the negative outcomes of Labor’s immigration policy.
The huge migration intake continues as dwelling construction dwindles. The latest Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) data showed that only 174,396 dwellings were constructed in Australia for the year to June 2023.
And this is nowhere near keeping pace with Australia’s population growing by 563,200 people for the year to March 2023. NOM accounted for 81% of population growth.
It’s inconceivable that Labor is not willing to cut immigration during a housing crisis. As they can observe thousands of Australians are struggling to access decent affordable housing. Especially when there are a massive 2.639 million temporary visa holders in the country. Do Labor not care about the housing predicament of their own citizens?
And it could get worse, some Australian economists are predicting NOM may surge even higher to a jaw dropping 500,000 net migrants in this financial year.
We will have to wait until the ABS data is released in December 2023 to get the exact NOM figure.
In the meantime, perhaps the only good news is that polls are showing a significant downturn in support for Labor.
A week after Labor’s Voice to Parliament was decisively defeated. The latest Roy Morgan Poll shows ALP support has dropped significantly – down 4.5% to 49.5%, behind the Coalition on 50.5% on a two-party preferred basis.
This is the first time since the Albanese Government won last year’s Federal Election that the Coalition has been in front.
As the immigration avalanche into Australia, continues to outpace housing supply. Mass immigration will likely be a major topic going into the next election. The main parties will be forced to debate cutting net migration levels.
The Coalition will have to look at lowering their net migration targets, which are still way too high, if they are to have any hope of gaining preferences from One Nation supporters.
(Source: Australian Government, Department of Home Affairs, September 2023)
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