In an interview on the Insiders program, Shadow Immigration Minister Dan Tehan was asked what Australia’s immigration intake should be. He said that 1.6 million over the next four years, implying that is the Albanese Government’s plan, was too high. But is that really the Albanese Government’s plan?

Tehan also said over 1 million students over one year was too high and should be reduced.

When Australian politicians talk about immigration levels, they refer either to the permanent migration program or the level of net migration. At 190,000 per annum, Tehan clearly wasn’t referring to the migration program. If he was referring to net migration, then he has overstated the Government’s net migration forecast by more than 400,000.

The Government’s latest forecasts for net migration are provided in Appendix A of Budget Paper 3 (published in May 2023) and in the Population Statement by the Treasury Centre........

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