Shock findings on migrants

Migrants are exploited, underpaid and Australia must prepare for climate change refugees, a fresh report has found.

A review of the nation’s embattled visa system will be released on Thursday, paving the way for the biggest reform to migration settings in a generation.

Home Affairs Minister Clare O’neill will front up to the National Press Club to outline the findings into a system which it says is “broken”.

“The system is broken and the significant stepchange (is) therefore required to reap the opportunities and navigate the challenges of the next two decades,” the report said.

The review, led by former public service chief Martin Parkinson, University of Adelaide professor Joanna Howe and former Deloitte partner John Azarias, was commissioned by the government last November.

A chapter of the review made available ahead of its release emphasises Australia must shift away from a “permanently temporary” mindset.

“That has caused harm to Australia and to migrants and has undermined community confidence in the migration system,” it said.

The effects of climate change could see migration from the Pacific increase and Australia should prepare for that by “fostering economic and social resilience” in island nations, the review chapter said.

Since 2007, the number of temporary migrants in Australia has soared from around one million to 1.8m. Meanwhile, net skilled permanent migration has stayed around 30,000 a year for the past two decades.

When Ms O’neil announced the review, the minister lamented that an overhaul of the “byzantine mess” of immigration was desperately needed.