Wilson backs Coalition’s migration policy to cut the numbers and lift the standards

MR RICK WILSON MP
FEDERAL MEMBER FOR O’CONNOR

7th October 2026

Wilson backs Coalition’s migration policy to cut the numbers and lift the standards

The Coalition’s plan gets migration back under control while backing regional WA workers.

On Tuesday, the Coalition announced a comprehensive plan to restore control to Australia's migration system while protecting the workers and industries regional Western Australia relies on.

Federal Member for O'Connor Rick Wilson said the Coalition's plan would reduce net overseas migration to 100,000 people per year, the lowest level since 2004 outside the pandemic, while ensuring regional communities continue to have access to the seasonal and skilled workers they need.

"Since Anthony Albanese was elected, a record number of around 1.5 million additional people have come to Australia, placing enormous pressure on housing, infrastructure and essential services," Mr Wilson said.

"Australians know the current system is not sustainable. We need migration to come down, but we also need a migration program that serves the national interest, supports our economy and directs workers to where they are genuinely needed."

The Coalition's plan will reduce the stock of temporary visa holders by around 650,000 over four years by scrapping the Temporary Graduate Visa in its current form and ending the visa-hopping that has flourished under Labor.

Importantly, the Coalition will maintain a strong focus on skills, expanding pathways for highly skilled workers and creating 45,000 skilled Project Visas to support nationally significant projects and workforce shortages.

Mr Wilson said the Coalition's approach demonstrated that migration could be reduced without harming economic growth.

"The biggest cut to migration in Australia's history is also expected to deliver a positive impact to the budget," he said.

"The independent Parliamentary Budget Office has found the Coalition's plan will improve the budget position by around $260 million over four years."

"That is because our plan puts a greater emphasis on the skills Australia needs. We can reduce overall numbers while ensuring our migration program is delivering the workforce and economic outcomes the country requires."

Mr Wilson said Labor had finally acknowledged migration levels were too high but had chosen to target the wrong visas, creating additional challenges for regional communities and agricultural producers.

"In recent months, I've consistently raised concerns on behalf of growers across O'Connor who have struggled to access Working Holiday Makers despite having workers ready to come to Australia," he said.

"In July, Labor pushed working holiday visas to the back of the processing queue, and approvals that previously took days began taking months."

“I raised this in Parliament last month and have repeatedly written to the Minister on behalf of growers across O’Connor who had experienced harvest workers lined up but still had no visas as late as September.”

“And it’s not just farmers and growers, but small businesses too, who rely on seasonal skilled workers, especially during the busy summer months.”

Mr Wilson said Labor's proposal to slash third-year backpacker visas from around 31,000 to just 5,000 and allocate them through a ballot system would further harm regional industries.

"The backpackers working on our farms aren't a strain on infrastructure and frontline services or competing for rentals and homes in our major cities," he said.

"Most live where they work, support local businesses and head home once harvest is complete."

"That's the migration regional Western Australia needs, and our plan brings it back."

Under the Coalition's plan, a Taylor-Canavan Government would scrap Labor's backpacker ballot system and remove caps on second and third-year Working Holiday Maker visa extensions.

The Coalition would also exempt second and third-year backpackers undertaking regional work from higher visa fees and introduce a new Agriculture Visa from 2030 to strengthen the long-term workforce pipeline for Australian agriculture.

Importantly, the Coalition will maintain and protect regional migration programs that support agriculture, health, tourism and hospitality industries, while continuing to support critical workforce needs through the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme.

"Our farmers, growers and regional businesses need access to the right workers at the right time," Mr Wilson said.

"This plan delivers a commonsense approach. It brings migration back to sustainable levels, relieves pressure on housing and services, and ensures the workers Australia needs can still come here and contribute."

"We need the right migration and the right plan. That's exactly what the Coalition has delivered."

ENDS

Media contact:
Reuben Keyser
Communications and Community Engagement Adviser
[email protected] 
(08) 9842 2777
0455 125 035