Opposition leader Angus Taylor said a Coalition plan would cut temporary visas by 650,000 over four years and hold net overseas migration at 100,000 for two years.
Australia's Liberal-National Coalition proposed on Tuesday what it called the biggest cut to immigration in the country's history, Reuters reported.
Opposition leader Angus Taylor said the plan would cut temporary visas by 650,000 over four years and set annual net overseas migration at 100,000 for two years, about one-third of the current rate, then 160,000 in year four. He said the change would ease pressure on roads, schools, infrastructure and housing.
Humanitarian places would be halved to 10,000. International student enrollment would be capped at 240,000, and the temporary graduate visa that lets students stay and work after study would be abolished, Reuters said. The Coalition said skilled workers would be prioritized.
Taylor said the policy would put Australia and the national interest first. The government had not published a formal response in the Reuters account.
The proposal is an opposition policy, not law. Parliament would have to pass any change in visa settings after an election the Coalition has not yet won.
People Sentiments Mixed
- Angus Taylor said the plan was the biggest immigration cut in the country's history and would put Australia first.