Anthony Albanese reins in migrant numbers to ease housing, cost-of-living crises

Labor is moving to substantially rein in migrants as it faces increasing pressure to ease the housing and cost-of-living crises. Key to the plan is reducing international student numbers.

Labor is moving to substantially rein in overseas migration back to pre-pandemic levels, and on Monday will announce plans to cut it by a third.

With the Australian Bureau of Statistics set to announce net migration this year topped 500,000 people the highest level in Australia’s history — the government needs to ease growing pressure on infrastructure, housing and living costs.

Ahead of the federal government releasing its response to a review of the nation’s migration system, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has acknowledged current forecasts are too high.

The Saturday Telegraph understands the bulk of the measures to be announced on Monday to reduce migration are designed to cut the numbers of international students.

Changes to be made are likely to include a further crackdown on dodgy education providers who are bringing people to Australia for work, not study, and tightening rules around requirements for students to be able to speak English.

Work rights for overseas students who have graduated will be limited. Picture: iStock

Whole categories of low-end and short courses outside the university sector are also likely to no longer qualify students for visas.

The government is also looking to find ways to make sure students who have studied courses here for which there is a low workforce demand leave the country when their study is finished.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will slash migrant numbers. Picture: Martin Ollman

The work rights for university students who have finished have their courses are also to be curtailed.

Mr Albanese said the government had already made changes to cut the surging numbers of migrants.

He said the pandemic years had caused an “unprecedented period of disruption” in the migration system.

“Over the past 12 months we have put in place reforms to put downward pressure on migration to help bring net overseas migration back to what it was before the pandemic,” he said.

“Treasury forecasts show that migration is expected to decline substantially over the next financial year (in 2023-24).”

The Budget in May forecast a post-pandemic catch-up overall net increase of 400,000 migrants for 2022-23, dropping to 315,000 in 2023-24.

But an unexpected influx of international students this year is expected to further drive up forecasts in the near term.

With rental vacancies already at historic lows, strong demand for housing, and persistently high inflation compounding cost-of-living pain, the government will set its sights on an intake similar to before the pandemic, with net overseas migration about 239,200 in 2018-19.

Mr Albanese said the government was “tackling the big challenges our country faces”.

“Next week we will set out a comprehensive, targeted plan that will ensure we have a migration system that works for all Australians and delivers the skills our nation needs,” he said.

“Our strategic and co-ordinated approach to migration will ensure our economy has the skills it needs.”

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