A controversial new immigration policy aimed at drastically reducing temporary migrant numbers—particularly international students and family members of skilled workers—has drawn sharp criticism from both major parties. Labor has warned the proposed "net-negative" approach risks crippling key industries like construction, healthcare, and agriculture, while economists and business groups argue it could harm economic growth without delivering tangible benefits to Australians. The plan, backed by One Nation, seeks to slash temporary visa numbers by hundreds of thousands over three years, sparking fears of labor shortages and service disruptions. With bipartisan opposition mounting, the debate over Australia’s migration strategy intensifies.
New immigration policy has attracted bipartisan condemnation, with Labor warning it would damage construction, healthcare and agricultureFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our new political email, free app or daily news podcastOne Nation says it will cut the number of temporary migrants in Australia by more than 750,000 over three years, targeting international students and family members of skilled migrants in a “net-negative” plan.But the business and agriculture sectors have warned the plan would badly hurt the economy and weaken essential services, without lifting living standards for Australians.Sign up for Guardian Australia’s Politics, really newsletter here Continue reading...
