Short version: the federal Opposition wants a big drop in migration if it wins the next election. It is a proposal. It is not law. Today's visa rules have not changed.
Quick summary
- Announced: Tuesday 6 October 2026, by the Liberal and National Coalition.
- Status: an election promise only. It needs an election win, then actual changes, before it does anything.
- Most affected if it happens: temporary visa holders and skilled visa applicants, plus students and graduates.
- What changes today: nothing.
The numbers in one table
| Proposed measure | Figure | When |
|---|---|---|
| Net overseas migration | 100,000 a year | First two years in government |
| Net overseas migration | Around 160,000 | Year four |
| Temporary visa holders living here | About 650,000 fewer | Across four years |
| Permanent skilled program | Capped at 185,000 places | Yearly, could be lowered later |
Read the table as a plan, not a forecast. None of these figures applies unless the Coalition forms government and acts on them.
How the Coalition sells it
The party calls it the biggest immigration cut in Australian history. It says the plan would:
- favour people with the skills the country is short of;
- be budget-neutral;
- free up housing;
- take pressure off frontline services.
It adds that 100,000 would be the lowest net figure since 2004, leaving out the pandemic. That is close to the steady rate of the late 1990s. After four years, it says, migration as a share of the population would still sit below the average under a past Coalition government.
Skilled work visas under the plan
This is the part most job seekers will care about. Three points stand out.
- Skilled work visas would target skills Australia needs.
- The 185,000 permanent skilled cap stays in place for now.
- Later, that cap could drop so arrivals stay under the count of new homes completed.
Students in brief
Temporary graduate visas would go. Student commencements would fall to 240,000. Most family members joining a student would be restricted. PhD, health, education and regional university graduates would get post-study transitional visas.
What other parties say
- Labor Government (announced last month): tougher rules on students bringing family, a clampdown on visa-hopping, visa priority for skilled workers in teaching, construction and agriculture.
- One Nation: cut net overseas migration by 750,000 over three years.
- An independent MP: warned the plan risks the fear and division seen in the United States and parts of Europe.
What job seekers should do now
Keep going. Current rules still apply to every application. A proposal does not close any door today. Have your CV ready and up to date. Match your skills to roles in demand. Follow official news, not campaign noise. Already hold a visa? Its conditions stay the same. Applying now? The requirements published today are the ones that apply. For current visa options, see the Home Affairs visa list.
