Net migration has fallen to its lowest level since the post-pandemic border reopening — meanwhile the subject is one of the defining political fights of 2026.
New Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) data, released on Thursday, show net overseas migration fell to 301,000 in 2025, down slightly from 306,000 the year before.
Even so, the figure remains above Labor's own targets — with the Coalition and One Nation arguing current levels are still "unsustainable".
One expert says voters real problem isn't immigration and that it's being used as a "scapegoat".
Which parties want to cut migration, and how far would they go? By Alexandra Koster, SBS News