Pacific worker reprieve in coalition migration target

Australia's opposition has signaled that Pacific workers will remain unaffected by proposed changes to migration targets. While the coalition has yet to reveal specific numbers for annual net overseas migration, they have stated it will be linked to the construction of new houses.

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The backpacker and PALM contribution to net overseas migration is minimal, … I don’t envisage we’ll be cutting those at all.

Jonathon Duniam, the opposition's home affairs spokesman, emphasized that any adjustments to migration figures would not impact the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme. This program enables businesses to hire workers from nine Pacific nations to address labor shortages, particularly in regional areas. Duniam noted that the contribution of PALM workers to the overall migration figures is minimal.

"The backpacker and PALM contribution to net overseas migration is minimal, … I don’t envisage we’ll be cutting those at all," Duniam told ABC Radio. He added that focusing on changes without considering the specific skills or labor shortages being addressed would not solve the problem. Currently, net overseas migration stands at 301,000 people, with just over 32,000 Pacific scheme workers in Australia as of June.

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That’s not going to solve the problem for us.

The coalition plans to unveil its comprehensive migration policy closer to the next federal election, due by May 2028. Opposition Leader Angus Taylor indicated that the target would be "substantially below 200,000." This contrasts with One Nation's proposal, which reportedly includes an additional 100,000 people annually on top of their previously flagged 130,000, potentially exceeding Labor's projected 225,000.

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But … given what we’re seeing, we’d expect it to be substantially below 200,000 – substantially below.