Australia Makes Bold Move to Halve Number of Immigrants

Australia has recently announced plans to reduce the influx of new immigrants from 510,000 individuals per year to 250,000 individuals per year.

This decision stems from the government's intention to address the disarray in their immigration systems. As a step towards change, the Australian government has established an amended policy. International students are now checked for their language competencies, ensuring that they meet the requisite language standards stated under visa applications. Additionally, these students must verify their integrity as genuine students beforehand as a precondition for being allowed legal access to Australia.

Should these students finish their studies but fail to find work in the in-demand industries, they must promptly depart the country. Additionally, the Australian government is contemplating further measures such as as reducing the number of admitted students or increasing visa fees to further curtail the numbers. During the processing stage, individuals may be disqualified if they fail to meet the necessary criteria.

Australia Home Affairs Minister Claire O’Neil anticipates a drop in numbers from the 510,000 immigrants currently residing in Australia to a projected 375,000 by the middle of 2024. This decline is predicted to continue, experiencing an additional plummet down to 250,000 by June 2025. As exposure around irregularity within the immigration system increases, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says that some immigrants have been exploiting the immigration system by entering the country solely for educational purposes, without any intention of benefiting themselves or the nation as a whole.

Australia has followed in the footsteps of the UK and initiated efforts to curb immigration numbers. Meanwhile, Canada is under mounting pressure to decrease its immigration numbers as well. Their vastly increasing numbers have been blamed for aggravating the current housing crisis.