Sydney — 30 September 2026
The latest Guardian Essential poll shows that, as immigration once again becomes a major focus of political debate in Australia, more than half of respondents want fewer migrants to enter the country each year. Conducted by Essential Media, the poll surveyed 1,022 people last week. Alongside concerns about immigration levels, it shows that Australians’ views on migration differ. Overall, 46 per cent regard migration as positive for Australia, while 39 per cent view it negatively.
However, when asked specifically about annual migrant arrivals, 55 per cent said they wanted a reduction. A further 29 per cent preferred immigration to remain around its current level, while 16 per cent wanted an increase.
Support for some stricter immigration policies
The poll also examined support for several proposals to control immigration.
According to the results:
- 70 per cent of respondents supported the forced removal of people who remain in Australia after their visas expire.
- 68 per cent supported closer scrutiny and monitoring of protection visa or asylum applications.
- 62 per cent agreed with the proposal that most international students should not be allowed to bring family members to Australia.
- 64 per cent supported making it harder for temporary migrants to switch visa types to extend their stay.
- 74 per cent supported directing skilled worker visas to sectors experiencing workforce shortages, including healthcare and construction.
These figures show that respondents support some immigration controls while also expressing considerable support for migration’s role in the country.
Immigration and housing concerns
Housing is one of the issues linked to recent immigration debates. In this poll, 70 per cent of respondents said they would still want lower immigration even if the government built enough homes and expanded public services to keep pace with population growth. This finding matters because it suggests that concerns about immigration levels among some people extend beyond housing shortages or the capacity of public services.
Meanwhile, Peter Lewis, executive director of Essential Media, said that, while the results show support for reducing migrant numbers, they also show an increase in the number of people who see migration as positive for Australia. He believes a substantial part of the community wants to control the pace and scale of immigration rather than stop it entirely.
Political parties and shifts in poll support
The September poll also shows changes in support for political parties. According to the published results, the primary vote for Labor was 29 per cent, up from 26 per cent in August. The primary vote for the Liberal–National Coalition fell to 22 per cent, four percentage points lower than last month and reportedly its lowest recorded level in an Essential poll. In the same poll, One Nation recorded a primary vote of 25 per cent, up from 23 per cent in August. Support for the Greens was reported at 12 per cent. These figures are simply the results of one poll of 1,022 respondents and should not be treated as an election forecast or as representing the views of all Australians.
Refugees and family members: groups receiving greater attention in the immigration debate
One notable part of the poll questioned people who wanted further reductions in immigration. Among these respondents, refugees and family members of people living in Australia were among the groups most frequently identified as categories whose arrivals some respondents wanted to reduce.
This part of the findings may be particularly relevant to migrant communities, including Australia’s Afghan community, as many Afghan families have connections with Australia through family, humanitarian, refugee or other migration pathways. However, these poll results alone do not indicate that such views will necessarily lead to immediate changes in laws affecting refugees or Afghan migrants.
Government plans to change immigration policy
The poll was released after Australia’s federal government announced a series of immigration policy changes in recent weeks. Tony Burke, Australia’s Minister for Home Affairs, outlined measures relating to working holiday visas, partner and family applications, and monitoring and enforcement concerning people who remain in the country after their visas expire.
Meanwhile, One Nation has proposed a substantial reduction in temporary migrant numbers. According to the Guardian, the party has proposed a plan to reduce the number of temporary migrants by more than 750,000 over three years. In contrast, Abul Rizvi, a former deputy secretary of Australia’s immigration department, warned about the costs of such a programme, saying that the proposed removal model could be extremely expensive and affect sectors such as aged care and construction. This is an expert’s opinion, rather than an independent conclusion drawn from the poll results.
Why does this debate matter to migrants?
Immigration is more than a political issue; decisions about it can affect family members’ visas, employment opportunities, education, temporary and permanent residence, settlement and access to services .
For Afghans living in Australia, this debate has particular significance because some still have family members outside Australia, while others are working towards a change in visa status, permanent residence or citizenship.
However, these poll results should not be interpreted as meaning that Australia’s immigration laws have already changed for Afghans. A poll reflects the views of part of the public; it is different from a change in law. Debate about the future of immigration in Australia continues. The latest poll shows that, alongside growing support for reducing migrant arrivals, a substantial share of the public still believes migration has positive effects on the country.
Source: The Guardian / Guardian Essential Poll, September 2026.
