Australia’s migration intake records have been smashed again, with an immigrant arriving every 55 seconds since the beginning of the year, according to new government data.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) revealed on Tuesday that net permanent and long-term arrivals in the year to August 31 totalled 379,870, the highest on record for the period, 6% higher than the previous record set in 2024, and equivalent to more than one a minute.
The intake during the 12 months to August 31, 467,410, was also the highest ever, and the net permanent and long-term arrival figure of 31,450 for the month of August was the second highest on record after 2023.
The ABS defines permanent arrivals as travellers who arrive on permanent migrant visas for the first time, New Zealand citizens who indicate for the first time an intention to migrate permanently, and those otherwise eligible to settle, such as the overseas-born children of Australian citizens.
Long-term arrivals are defined as overseas visitors who intend to stay in Australia for more than 12 months, but not permanently.
Net oversea migration (NOM) figures for the last financial year are yet to be released by the ABS, and while the total will differ slightly from net permanent and long-term arrivals the totals are closely related, and the latter can act as an proxy to estimate NOM.
Daniel Wild, Deputy Executive Director of the Institute of Public Affairs (IPA), said the figures showed immigration was “out of control”, and proved that claims made by the Labor government and left-wing corporate media that it was “slowing down” were false.
“This mass migration experiment, being forced on the Australian people by the Albanese government, is making Australians poorer and is dividing our society. It must end,” Mr Wild said.
“Australia is a welcoming society, but the nation’s migration program must be properly planned, have the consent of the community, and not strain critical social infrastructure. On all three counts the federal government has failed.
“The federal government has dramatically increased Australia’s migration intake while housing construction continues to flatline, destroying the dream of home ownership for too many young Australians.”
The ABS figures come as Pauline Hanson’s One Nation party continues to rise in the polls, benefiting from the Coalition abandoning promises to cut immigration in favour of trying to win over immigrant voters instead.
The Albanese government has maintained record-high levels of immigration – predicting net overseas migration of 810,000 since 2022 but delivering 1.4 million – despite repeated polls showing a majority of Australians want the numbers cut.
A Resolve Political Monitor Poll from Sunday found that 58% of voters wanted a “significant reduction” in immigration while just 15% opposed a cut, and a majority of supporters of all political parties and age cohorts wanted fewer immigrants.
Header image: Crowds at Chinatown in Sydney (Instagram).
