Australia’s Coalition Pledges ‘Biggest Immigration Cut’ in History: What It Means for Indians
Australia’s conservative opposition has announced what it describes as the “biggest cut to immigration” in the country’s history. Under the plan, the Coalition would lower net overseas migration to 100,000 a year for its first two years in government. The move could have major consequences for Indians, who have recently become Australia’s largest overseas-born population and continue to be the biggest source of temporary skilled migrants.
Opposition Leader Angus Taylor said that if the Coalition wins the next federal election, net overseas migration would be held at 100,000 in each of the first two years. It would then rise to 130,000 in the third year and 160,000 in the fourth. The proposal would also cut temporary visa numbers by about 650,000 over four years.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics recorded 292,100 net overseas migrants in the year to March 2026, so a 100,000 target would be a substantial drop from current levels. Announcing the policy, Taylor said, “Australia should be a home, not a hotel.”
Indians now Australia’s largest overseas-born group
The announcement comes at a significant time for the Indian community in Australia. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, 971,020 India-born people were living in Australia on June 30, 2025. That narrowly exceeded the England-born population of 970,950 and marked the first time India became Australia’s largest overseas-born population.
The India-born population grew from about 449,000 in 2015 to 971,020 in 2025, a rise of roughly 522,000. In 2025, Indian-born residents made up 3.5 per cent of Australia’s total population and about 11 per cent of its overseas-born population.
Why Indian students and skilled workers could be affected
The Coalition’s plan targets several temporary migration pathways, including international education and temporary graduate visas. It proposes capping international student commencements at 240,000 a year and restricting most dependants from accompanying students. It would also scrap most temporary graduate visas, with limited exceptions for areas such as health, education, PhD graduates and regional universities. This could matter greatly for Indian students, who are among the largest international student communities in Australia.
The Coalition also says it wants to shift migration towards skilled workers, particularly in areas such as construction. It has proposed increasing temporary skilled migration while prioritising workers on factors including skills and economic contribution.
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India is already the largest source of primary temporary skilled visa grants. Home Affairs data shows 6,220 primary temporary skilled visas were granted to Indian citizens in the six months to December 31, 2025. That accounted for 18.1 per cent of the total and was a 16.2 per cent increase from the same period a year earlier.
Australia already tightening migration rules
The Coalition’s announcement comes as Australia’s Labour government is also tightening migration rules. New student visa integrity measures that took effect on October 2 restrict onshore student visa applications and limit most students’ ability to bring family members. The government has also targeted “visa hopping” and migration agents accused of exploiting the system.
The Labour government is targeting net overseas migration of 245,000 for the current financial year and 225,000 for 2027-28.