Australia Reports Migration Drop to 301,000 Amid Housing Crisis

The Australian Bureau of Statistics reported that net overseas migration fell to 301,000 people in 2025, down from 306,000 in 2024. This represents a decline of over 45 percent from the post-pandemic peak in 2023, though the figure remains above the federal budget forecast of 295,000. The total national population reached 27.8 million, reflecting a growth rate of 1.51 percent—the lowest since 2019, excluding the pandemic era.

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke defended the figures as a sensible, measured approach to secure essential skilled workers while reducing visa exploitation. The decline was driven by a 10 percent drop in temporary visa holders and international students, the latter of which have returned to pre-COVID levels following stricter government integrity settings. Treasury forecasts suggest population growth will further decline to 1.3 percent by June 2026.

Opposition figures and the One Nation party criticized the intake as unsustainably high during a national housing crisis. The Coalition proposed tying migration levels directly to home completions. Senator Pauline Hanson advocated for a permanent and temporary visa cap of 130,000 and called for a transition from multiculturalism to a monoculture. This political friction aligns with new data showing societal support for cultural diversity dropped from 85 to 75 percent.