In a policy paper released late yesterday, One Nation detailed a sweeping proposal to drive Australia’s net overseas migration (NOM) into the negatives until 2029. The headline numbers are stark: international student places would fall from about 590,000 to 350,000 a year, visas for the families of skilled migrants and students would drop to zero, and overstayers would face lifetime bans. The party says universities should focus on “high-value” PhD and STEM cohorts, modelled on the US “genius visa” concept, while low-priority courses such as business and accounting would face tougher approval thresholds. Seasonal worker schemes—including the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) program—would be retained, but permanent migration would be capped at a “ceiling” of 130,000 once the three-year breathing space ends. Universities Australia labelled the plan an “economic self-own”, warning of campus closures, job losses and a $48 billion hit to export earnings. Regional mayors also fear labour shortages in agriculture, aged care and hospitality. Treasury modelling leaked to the ABC suggests GDP growth could fall by 1.2 percentage points annually if the cuts proceed. Although the proposal has no path to passage without Coalition or Labor support, its release moves the political Overton window. Both major parties are already signalling tougher integrity measures for the student-visa system; One Nation’s aggressive benchmarks may give them cover to announce smaller but still significant reductions when Parliament resumes.
Source: ABC News
