Impending immigration warning as the number of overseas arrivals in Australia soars
The Albanian government’s immigration targets for the past budget year could be exceeded by as many as 100,000 people.
Saul Eslake of Corinna Economic Advisory predicted that inflows would reach 495,000 people in the 2023-23 financial year, ‘if not more’, reported The Australian.
The government had set an intake target of 395,000 for the same period, compared to 518,000 the year before.
Abdul Rizvi, a former deputy immigration secretary, estimated the number would be around 450,000 to 475,000 people, adding that Australia’s robust labor market kept people here and attracted people from abroad.
“Especially people in Europe and China and in Southeast Asia, where the labor market has weakened faster than in Australia,” Rizvi said.
“What we had was a higher than expected return of Australian citizens, and we also had a higher than expected net arrival of Kiwis.”
The Albanian government has already revised the figures twice.
In last year’s May Budget, the government predicted that the number of foreigners moving to the country would fall to 315,000 in the 12 months to June as a result of the new measures it introduced – although this was revised up to 375,000 in December and 395,000 earlier this year.
Some economists predict that the Albanian government’s immigration target for the past fiscal year will be exceeded by as many as 100,000 people (stock image)
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton previously said the influx of new residents competing for housing is the reason property prices remain at record highs.
“This is why Australians can’t afford to buy a home, why rents are skyrocketing and why we find ourselves in the position we are today with people living without secure housing,” he said .
Home Secretary Murray Watt said migration has slowed as a result of government measures gradually introduced by the government over the past two years.
“We recognize that we need to ensure that the number of migrants coming to Australia is sustainable, and that is exactly why we have taken a range of actions to reduce that number,” he said.
