Pauline Hanson has outlined an expansive One Nation immigration policy that would aim to shrink Australia’s temporary migrant population by roughly 750,000 within three years, placing international students at the centre of the proposed crackdown.
The plan calls for net overseas migration to fall into negative territory during a three-year “reset”, followed by an ongoing annual cap of 130,000 arrivals.
The target is significantly lower than Labor’s projected net overseas migration figures of 245,000 for the current financial year and 225,000 in the following year.
One Nation’s proposal is focused on the temporary migrant cohort, which has climbed from a little more than two million when Labor took office in 2022 to about three million people.
International student visas would be limited to 100,000 annually, with the party particularly focused on lower-tier courses that it argues can be used by some overseas students as a route to remain in Australia.
At the same time, an uncapped visa category would be created for overseas students undertaking PhDs and approved science, technology, engineering and maths courses. About 15,000 foreign students and their dependants are expected to enter through the proposed stream.
Skilled worker visas would not have a cap under the One Nation policy, although relatives would no longer be eligible for secondary visas. The party says that change would reduce the program from about 263,000 people to 160,000 over three years.
Across five key visa categories, One Nation says its three-year migration reduction plan would remove 239,923 student visa holders, 229,674 graduate visa holders, 103,448 temporary skilled workers, 112,533 bridging visa holders and 80,000 unlawful non-citizens or visa overstayers.
Pauline Hanson has revealed a One Nation plan aimed at reducing Australia’s temporary migrant population by about 750,000 over three years, as the party calls for a sharp cut to overseas migration.
“We will crack down on illegal migrant employment, cutting off illicit income and encouraging departures. Illegal migrants will be given three months to leave Australia.”
‘Those who depart will be allowed to apply for a visa in the future. Those who remain unlawfully after this period will face immigration enforcement and a lifetime ban from re-entering Australia.’
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Australians have had enough of mass migration, according to Hanson.
‘I know Australians are doing it tough. Families are competing with hundreds of people for rental accommodation,’ she added.
Patients are stuck in ambulances because there are not enough hospital beds. Young Australians are being locked out of home ownership while wages and infrastructure fail to keep up.
‘The Labor-Liberal political cartel has sacrificed Australian living standards to serve vested interests demanding continued mass migration.’
If election in 2028, One Nation will return the temporary migrant population to 2017 levels and slash the international student population to 2015 levels.
The number of temporary visa holders has surged from two million in 2022 to roughly three million, according to Hanson.
‘A larger economy on paper means nothing if Australians are poorer per person and cannot afford a home, find a hospital bed or get ahead,’ she said.
‘A larger economic pie doesn’t mean anything if individual Australians’ slice of it is getting smaller.
One Nation’s net overseas migration ceiling of 130,000 per year would then remain in place.
‘Vested interests and elite economists will shriek at the prospect of these cuts,’ Hanson said.
‘But Canada has shown you can cut migrant numbers, take pressure off rents, and still grow the economy.’