The Australian government has announced that the number of permanent residency visas available will remain unchanged for the 2025-26 financial year. A total of 185,000 permanent visas will be allocated, with the same distribution between skilled workers and family members of current residents as in the previous year.

This decision follows a series of anti-immigration protests across the country, some of which were attended by neo-Nazi groups. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese condemned these protests, stating they were "not the Australian way" and emphasized the positive contributions of migration to the nation.

Recent anti-immigration rallies have sparked clashes in various cities, including Melbourne, where police resorted to using pepper spray to manage the situation. Critics of migration have pointed to a significant increase in net migration following the pandemic, which had previously seen a decline. However, the permanent migration program primarily issues visas to individuals already in Australia, meaning it does not directly influence net migration figures, which are largely determined by temporary migrants like international students.

Former Liberal leader Peter Dutton had previously pledged to reduce both permanent and temporary migration levels, proposing a cap of 140,000 permanent visas for 2025-26. In contrast, the current Labor government has maintained a steady approach, issuing 195,000 visas in 2022-23, 190,000 in 2023-24, and 185,000 for the upcoming year.

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke stated that the decision to keep the visa numbers steady was made after consultations with state and territory leaders. He noted that skilled migrants would continue to be prioritized, making up more than two-thirds of the total visas. The family visa program will remain at just over 50,000, which is significantly lower than the demand from family members of current residents.

Abul Rizvi, a former senior immigration official, expressed concern over the growing backlog of family visa applications, which he estimates is nearing 100,000. He criticized the government's approach, saying, "They're kicking the problem down the road, but the problem gets bigger every year." Rizvi suggested that a class action lawsuit could succeed if brought by spouses awaiting visa approval.

Alan Gamlen, a migration professor, highlighted the need for reform in the spouse visa system and other areas identified in Labor's 2023 migration review. He noted that political concerns about migration have hindered progress on these issues, stating, "It's a long-term issue that needs to be addressed because the government, in order to maintain a steady permanent program level, is breaking the law, essentially, by failing to process spouse visas."

The dynamics of migration in Australia have shifted dramatically over the past five years, particularly due to the pandemic. Net migration fell significantly in early 2020, with more people leaving the country than arriving. This was largely due to international students and temporary workers returning home or being unable to enter Australia, while Australians abroad faced challenges in returning.

Despite the ongoing debate about a migration "surge," official figures indicate that net migration is already declining. After reaching record levels exceeding half a million in 2023, projections suggest that net migration will decrease to 340,750 by the end of 2024 and further to 255,000 in the following year. Currently, the proportion of migrants in Australia is similar to pre-pandemic levels.