Permanent migrant numbers lowest in 15 years

AUSTRALIA has recorded its lowest permanent migrant intake for 15 years.

The federal government issued 140,000 visas in 2019-20, 20,000 fewer than the ceiling proposed for last year’s permanent migration program. It is the lowest intake since 2004-05.

Australian Population Research Institute director Bob

Birrell said the latest number was significant because the government could easily have reached its ceiling by processing more skilled visa applicants already here.

“But this is an outcome to be expected because the skilled program is shaped by judgments of skill needs of the Australian economy,” he said. “Since the COVID crisis and rise of joblessness, there’s not the need for some of the skills we’ve been recruiting in big numbers, such as accountants and engineers.”

Dr Birrell said the permanent migration program had been reformed four years ago when Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton changed the annual number from a target to a ceiling. In 2018-19, the ceiling was 190,000 places, but the program came in at 160,323.

Dr Birrell said the government had kept the numbers down by dramatically raising the skilled visa pass mark for key occupations. “That response… will have a continuing impact on the scale of the permanent migration program,” he said.

The permanent program is different from net overseas migration, which includes temporary arrivals such as overseas students. This category — about 250,000 in 2019-20 — has collapsed since the travel restrictions.