{
  "id": 7217026,
  "title": "A fresh start for immigration policy",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/14/a-fresh-start-for-immigration-policy",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-09-14T01:00:14.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "MacroBusiness",
    "slug": "macrobusiness",
    "url": "https://www.macrobusiness.com.au/2026/09/a-fresh-start-for-immigration-policy/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Australia requires an upgrade to its immigration system. Historically, the country welcomed immigrants primarily from developed nations, prioritizing the most skilled individuals. However, today, Australia often recruits from developing countries, positioning itself as the key player in the immigration arena. With high demand for labor in Australia, permanent residency is now the coveted pathway. Yet, the existing immigration policy fails to adapt to this shift in dynamics. The obsession with net overseas migration (NOM) does not address the critical aspects of admitting immigrants to the country. It overlooks the crucial factor of ensuring temporary immigrants eventually return home. Regardless of the desired NOM target, an efficient immigration policy would grant the government the necessary tools to achieve it. With minor adjustments for treaties and exceptions, a ten-point plan could restore the government's control over immigration matters. This proposal applies to any government, irrespective of the party in power.\n\nFirstly, all student visa applications should be submitted from overseas. Students intending to pursue multiple courses in Australia should apply from their home countries. This approach ensures a level playing field for everyone seeking education in Australia. Second, temporary graduate visas should only be granted to graduates who have secured employment in their respective fields of study. The primary objective of this visa category is to provide students with practical experience before returning to their home countries. It is not intended to assist students in repaying their tuition fees. Third, the salary threshold for temporary skilled visas should be raised to 1.5 times the median full-time wage in Australia. Employers in need of specialized skills should initially offer higher wages to attract local candidates. No one should be recruited from abroad to perform skilled work at a wage below the median. Fourth, skilled independent visas should be awarded only to individuals already employed in their specified areas of expertise. The points system should be adjusted to prioritize this criterion, with family connections in Australia given precedence, especially for spouses of Australian citizens. Fifth, temporary family stays should be limited to 8 months per year. Family members should also bear the cost of private health insurance to alleviate the burden on Medicare. Families can invite as many grandparents as desired, provided they cycle through annually. Instead of a handful of fortunate families receiving grandparent visas, every family could have multiple grandparents residing with them throughout the year. Sixth, 'working holiday' visas should be abolished and replaced with a new youth mobility scheme. Such visas are not intended for extended stays in Australia. The youth mobility scheme should be mutually beneficial and focused on countries where Australian citizens express a genuine interest in visiting. It should lack unnecessary regional work requirements. Seventh, if there is a shortage of unskilled labor in specific regions, an 8-month temporary labor visa should be introduced. Workers can enter Australia on reduced-wage packages that encompass free airfare, transportation, insurance, housing, and food. They should return to their home countries each year and reapply for multiple entries, enabling them to accumulate savings while maintaining ties with their native lands. Eighth, a 'safe list' of countries should be established, allowing citizens to apply for visas without extra scrutiny. This list would not target any specific religious group, such as Muslims. Instead, it would encompass countries where asylum seekers are fleeing persecution. People from these countries should be directed to the humanitarian stream. Ninth, asylum applications should be submitted within three months of arrival in Australia. Individuals should not be permitted to remain in the country indefinitely on temporary visas, waiting for their asylum claims to be processed at the last moment. Their asylum cases should be considered concurrently with their other visas. Lastly, all applications for permanent residence and citizenship should be submitted from overseas. The current onshore preference fosters a culture of clinging to temporary residency, hoping for favorable outcomes before deportation becomes inevitable. Applicants should demonstrate their worth outside Australia before being granted entry. While cultural integration, English proficiency, and 'Australian values' are essential considerations, these factors lose significance without effective immigration control mechanisms. The well-being of temporary immigrants, who ultimately return home between visa periods, differs from that of permanent migrants. Therefore, the criteria for selecting immigrants should be tailored accordingly. High-skilled, well-educated, and employed individuals with ties to Australian citizens should be prioritized over those already residing in the country on temporary visas. The decision-making process should focus on whether the person is desirable if they were recruited from outside Australia. If the answer is unfavorable, then the decision should be to deny entry. Implementing this ten-point plan would empower the responsible minister at every stage of the immigration process, shifting the focus from bureaucrats to the electorate.",
  "summary": "Australia needs a fresh start for its immigration programs. Back when Australia recruited immigrants mainly from developed countries, the emphasis was on attracting the best people to come live in Australia. A few lemons might slip through, but that was a price worth paying. Australia was the supplicant in the immigration market. Now that Australia The post A fresh start for immigration policy…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}