Anthony Albanese’s major immigration failure exposed – despite Labor’s promise to reduce the number of new arrivals

Immigration levels in Australia are expected to continue rising at higher levels than previously expected, casting doubt on Labor’s pledge to slow population growth.

The Treasury Department’s Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook predicts that 340,000 migrants will arrive in Australia during 2024-2025.

That is significantly higher than the forecast of 260,000 for this financial year in the May budget.

But even these revised forecasts could be way off, with 448,090 migrants arriving in Australia on a permanent and long-term basis in the year to October.

This number was closer to the record high inflow of 548,800 in the year to September 2023, and was also higher than the 445,600 level for the 2023-2024 period.

The large influx of international students is putting pressure on rents in Australia’s major cities.

The flow of migrants into Sydney is also leading to a massive exodus of residents from Australia’s most expensive city to southeast Queensland, further driving up house prices.

According to the budget update, 255,000 migrants arrived in the period 2025-2026, with the Treasury’s December forecast unchanged from May.

But even this figure would be higher than the 2007 mining boom, when 244,000 migrants moved to Australia.

It would also be more than double the influx of 106,425 in 2004.