The Labor government’s immigration targets for the last financial year could be exceeded by up to 100,000 people.
Saul Eslake, of Corinna Economic Advisory, said intake for the 2023-23 financial year would be 495,000 people, “if not more”, The Australian reported.
The Albanian government has set an admission target of 395,000 for the same period, up from 518,000 the previous year.
Abdul Rizvi, former undersecretary of the Immigration Department, estimated the numbers to be between 450,000 and 475,000 people.
In last year’s May budget, the government forecast that the number of foreigners moving to the country would fall to 315,000 in the 12 months to June under the new measures it introduced, although this figure was revised to 375,000 in December and 395,000 in early this year.
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton previously said the influx of new residents competing for places to live was the reason property prices remain at record levels.
“This is why Australians can’t afford to buy a house, it’s why rents have skyrocketed and it’s why we find ourselves in a position like we are today with people living without safe accommodation,” Mr Dutton said.
Home Secretary Murray Watt said migration had slowed thanks to measures the government had progressively introduced over the past two years.