Majorities in every major series say immigration is too high or should be cut: a record 55% in the Lowy Institute Poll (March 2026), 51% in the Scanlon survey (July 2025), 55% wanting a decrease in Essential (September 2026) and 62–64% wanting lower levels in YouGov (2026). This is despite net overseas migration falling from its 2023 peak. Essential's latest poll also found more people saying immigration is generally positive than negative (46–39). One Nation is clearly preferred to handle the issue.
How much it matters
Ipsos Issues Monitor: % naming each as one of the most important issues facing Australia.
YouGov (Sky News Pulse) and Essential: YouGov: % wanting a big or small decrease in immigration. Essential: % saying the intake should decrease, and % saying immigration is generally negative for Australia.
ABS: net overseas migration was 306,000 in 2024–25, down from 429,000 the year before, the second annual fall in a row. (abs.gov.au)
ABS: net overseas migration added 301,000 people in calendar 2025. The population grew 1.5% in the year to December 2025. (abs.gov.au)
One Nation announced net-negative migration for its first three years in government, then a cap of 130,000. (thenewdaily.com.au)
Labor's migration plan aims to bring net overseas migration down from about 300,000 to 225,000 by 2028, targeting students, backpackers and visa overstayers. (sbs.com.au)