CANBERRA - Australia is weighing further visa changes aimed at reducing net overseas migration, according to government sources.
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke had been scheduled to discuss the government’s migration program in a National Press Club address on Thursday, Aug. 6. His office postponed the appearance after concluding that parts of the speech would not be ready.
“Yesterday it became clear that some elements of the speech would not be finalised by Thursday,” a spokesperson said. Burke’s office is working with the press club to arrange another date, with the address likely to take place within about two weeks.
Guardian Australia reported that the government plans new rules to reduce net overseas migration and encourage more temporary residents to leave. Government sources said the changes were not expected to push the figure below existing targets.
The ABC separately reported that officials had considered tougher family-visa rules, a cap on backpacker numbers and restrictions on the work and appeal rights of some asylum seekers. No final measures or commencement dates have been announced.
A skilled-visa processing change took effect on July 25. Under Ministerial Direction 119, applications supporting Australia’s law-enforcement or defence interests receive the highest priority, with applicants already in Australia ranked ahead of comparable offshore cases.
Onshore applications involving construction, healthcare and teaching occupations come next, followed by other applicants in Australia and then other offshore cases.
The May budget committed the government to reforming the Working Holiday Maker program to better control numbers and expand the use of visa ballots. It also set the 2026–27 permanent Migration Program at 185,000 places, including 132,240 in the Skill stream.
Across the Skill and Family streams, 129,590 places were allocated to migrants already living in Australia. The budget said that onshore priority would place downward pressure on net overseas migration.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics estimated net overseas migration at 301,000 in the year to December 2025, down 8.9% from the previous year. The measure is the difference between people immigrating to and emigrating from Australia over the period.
Treasury forecasts net overseas migration of 295,000 in 2025–26, 245,000 in 2026–27 and 225,000 in 2027–28.
Burke’s office said the rescheduled address would cover the migration system as a whole and was working with the National Press Club to secure a new date.