One Nation has unveiled a controversial migration policy designed to slash temporary migrant numbers by 750,000 over three years, according to reporting by The Australian Financial Review. The platform targets international students and the families of skilled migrants, aiming to alleviate housing and economic pressures by curbing arrivals.
Proposed Caps on International Students and Visas
Under the newly announced framework, total international student numbers would be capped at 100,000 per year, as reported by The Australian Financial Review. Party leader Pauline Hanson pointed to international precedents to justify the sharp reduction, citing student visa restrictions implemented in Canada by Prime Minister Mark Carney. “Vested interests and elite economists will shriek at the prospect of these cuts,” Hanson said, according to The Australian Financial Review. “But Canada has shown you can cut migrant numbers, take pressure off rents and still grow the economy.”
The policy introduces a specialized prestige student visa for 15,000 participants enrolled in high-demand PhD and other postgraduate programs, which would permit secondary visas for their families. Meanwhile, employer-sponsored skilled visas would remain uncapped, though recipients would be barred from bringing dependents, according to The Australian Financial Review.
Voter Sentiment and Political Context
According to the Resolve Political Monitor, the electorate has repeatedly favored One Nation regarding immigration, selecting the party as most capable of managing the issue, despite frequent conflicting statements among Hanson, her treasury spokesman Barnaby Joyce and new MP David Farley regarding the ideal target for overall reductions.
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