Amid the ongoing debate around Australia's immigration levels, an expert suggests adjusting the ratio of skilled migrants versus backpackers could make a difference.
On Sunday, Opposition leader Sussan Ley told the ABC's Insiders program the government is presiding over a migration system that's "a mess" and that the total number of migrants to Australia is putting pressure on jobs, infrastructure and services.
The debate about migration policy comes as the government announced last week it would maintain a cap on migration numbers at 185,000 places, exactly as it was last year, and continue to focus on skilled migrants.
In research published on Monday, Alan Gamlen, director of the Migration Hub at The Australian National University, said fundamental problems need to be addressed, starting with the fact that temporary migrants are driving most of the growth in the skilled workforce.
"Current migration policy fails to recognise the pivotal role of this group of migrants," he said, which includes holiday makers, students and backpackers.
"Backpackers, for example, are widely perceived as engaging only in hospitality or farm labour, yet many also work in skilled roles. The misreading of students and working holiday makers obscures their actual contribution to Australia's skilled workforce."
Gamlen said the current program is not designed to establish a steady pipeline of skilled workers entering the country.
"Although the allocation for permanent migration is formally capped at 185,000 per year, only 12 per cent of those places go to offshore skilled entrants, with a large proportion of places taken up by partners and children or family migrants," he said.
"This leaves too few places for other groups of people, such as those on employer-sponsored visas. Demand for employer-sponsored visas is surging, and this group consistently delivers the strongest labour market outcomes. But their numbers are constrained, creating a structural imbalance."
Gamlen argues that an even greater focus on skilled stream visa applicants would ensure that Australia's migration policy responds better to demographic challenges.
"We recognise that our proposals would involve resourcing challenges and that change can take time. But we need to get this right to make sure Australia's migration policy is better serving the country's economic and social objectives," he said.
According to the latest data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, Australia recorded a net overseas migration of 446,000 people in the 12 months to 30 June 2024.
The largest group of migrant arrivals consisted of temporary students, with 207,000 people.
Education Minister Jason Clare announced a National Planning Level of 295,000 international student places for 2026 in August to manage growth in a "sustainable" way.
Ley has previously said migration numbers are "too high" and on Sunday reiterated the government has not "got infrastructure right".
Speaking to SBS News, former deputy secretary of the immigration department Abul Rizvi agreed Australia is facing strain on some systems but said the blame does not lie necessarily with the Albanese government.
"That sort of finger-pointing by either side of politics doesn't help," Rizvi said.
"The fact is the problems associated with our infrastructure, housing crisis and pressure on services delivery has been coming at us for years, if not decades. Ley has been a senior cabinet minister through much of that period."
Rizvi said he believes there has been "an issue" with attracting skilled construction workers to Australia and it is placing pressure on housing shortages.
He said both major parties need to commit to more detailed long-term planning for Australia's migration system, particularly as an ageing population puts pressure on the health system.
"If you look at the 2019 budget, before COVID, our population was projected at that time to be greater than it is now. If that was the case, what was the infrastructure plan to deal with a greater population that we have now?"
