Question Immigration rate

Thinking now about Australia’s immigration program. Do you personally think that the total number of migrants coming to Australia each year is too high, too low, or about right?

  1. 0%
  2. 10%
  3. 20%
  4. 30%
  5. 40%
  6. 50%
  7. 60%
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  1. 2015
  2. 2017
  3. 2019
  4. 2021
  5. 2023
  6. 2025

Indicates change in mode: see 2025 Methodology.

  • Too high
  • About right
  • Too low
Total
All groups

Observation

After a freeze on new arrivals during the Covid pandemic, Australia’s net overseas migration rapidly expanded to a peak of 536,000 in 2022–23 due to pent-up demand from students, backpackers, and temporary workers, as well as lower than usual departures. More recently, official figures show net migration fell by 100,000 last year, which puts it on a trajectory back to pre-pandemic levels. However, in the context of cost-of-living and housing pressures, immigration was a contested political issue in the leadup to Australia’s 2025 federal election.

More than half the population (53%) say the total number of migrants coming to Australia each year is ‘too high’, a five-point increase since last year and on par with the previous high in 2018 (54%). Less than half (45%) think immigration levels are either ‘about right’ (38%) or ‘too low’ (7%).

Data

Compare different demographics, years, categories, and responses.

Demographic

Year

Response

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