How does Australia’s migration system actually work? 5 common myths busted
- Written by: Weekend Times
Australia’s migration system is complicated. It’s heavily influenced by politics and global pressures, which can make it difficult to understand. This often results in lively debates across the dinner table.
But given migration is dominating public discussion at the moment, it’s worth explaining how the system operates so we all have a better understanding of what’s true and what isn’t.
Let’s unpack five common myths about migration in Australia.
Migration is the most debated public policy issue of the current moment, both in Australia and overseas. In this five-part series, we unpack how Australia’s migration system works, both practically and politically, and what its future might look like.
Myth 1: it’s easy to get a visa to Australia
The Australian migration system can be grouped into the following pathways:
- visitor visas
- student visas
- family visas
- skilled visas (both skilled independent and employer sponsored)
- refugee visas
- and visa compliance.
The migration program has planning levels per financial year based on each pathway.
Each visa category has very specific and strict requirements. There are very few “loopholes” in the Australian migration system and there is not a lot of flexibility.
The migration framework is a two-stage process where the migrant must meet certain requirements when they apply for the visa and also when the visa is granted.
Each migration pathway has different formal legal requirements. For example, for certain skilled visas, a migrant is required to lodge an “expression of interest” which then ranks their qualification, work experience, English language abilities and other factors and allocates them points. The higher the points, the more likely they are to receive an invitation.
For partner visas, they need to show extensive evidence of their relationship. This could include bank statements, friend testimony, social media history and even gym memberships.
While Australia has visas to reunite families, the assumption that any migrant can bring in their family is not true. There are only a handful of visas which accommodate family sponsorship, and even then, it’s only for immediate family members – who also need to meet health and character requirements.
Myth 2: Australia lets in too many refugees
There is a misconception with refugee visas that Australia “lets anyone in”.
The reality is, when you enter Australia (whether it be from a student visa or visitor visa), you do have the fundamental right to apply for a protection visa.
Does this mean it will be granted? Absolutely not.
In fact, in the 2024–25 financial year, there were 23,576 applications lodged onshore and only 4,036 granted in that period. In April 2026, there was a visa grant rate of only about 16%.
Myth 3: We are not “tough” on migrants
When migrants apply for visas (inside or outside of) Australia, they need to meet certain character requirements. This is not new and the Department of Home Affairs has dedicated teams to deal with this.
To satisfy this, migrants are required to provide police clearance from any country they have lived in for 12 months or more. If the migrant has any type of criminal record, it is usually referred for further assessment to a team within the department. It’s an extensive and lengthy process.
If a migrant offends while here, Australia has extensive processes relating to visa cancellation and detention centre practices.
Firstly, the department has a lot of discretionary visa cancellation powers at its disposal, which it uses regularly. In the 2024–25 financial year, the department cancelled 37,033 visas.
Importantly, a migrant can have their visa cancelled in Australia purely because they have been charged with an offence and are then liable for immigration detention. There doesn’t need to be a finding of guilt for a visa to be cancelled.
Australia also has automatic visa cancellation powers which means a migrant will have their visa mandatorily cancelled if they have a criminal sentence of more than 12 months and are currently in prison.
As well as being cancelled for criminal activity, visas can be cancelled for non-compliance and a range of other circumstances.
This comes at a huge cost to the government. In Australia, detention centres are run by private companies and the cost to house someone in immigration detention averages $505,176 annually. This is extraordinary, given the cost of housing a prisoner in prison is approximately $160,600 annually.
Myth 4: Migrants are a financial burden on the economy
Of late, there has been considerable discussion around migration in Australia with a narrative that migration should be dramatically reduced and an assumption that Australia pays for migrants to come to Australia.
There are significant labour market and population growth advantages to migration that can’t be overlooked.
In 2021, Treasury released a study which confirmed that migrants as a cohort make a positive fiscal contribution.
Migrants also contribute a lot of money to federal revenue. For example, in the 2025 financial year, the department received $4.15 billion in revenue just from visa application charges to migrants.
Comparatively, the government raised approximately $1.4 billion on the new Petroleum Resource Rent Tax initiative in 2023–24.
Read more: What is migration for? How national needs wrestle with a basic human desire
Myth 5: Migrants are given a ‘free-ride’ to Australian benefits
Generally, a migrant who has applied for permanent residency (and some temporary visas) becomes eligible for Medicare.
Many migrants (excluding refugees) are not eligible for Centrelink benefits because most of the payment schemes, such as JobSeeker and the aged pension, require the migrant to be a resident, plus additional waiting periods (four years in some circumstances).
Importantly, this four year waiting period comes after a long period as a temporary resident in Australia. Some migrants on temporary visas are here for more than ten years before they secure permanent residency.
In addition, depending on the state or territory and visa status, there are also restrictions on schooling, in which temporary migrants are required to pay for public schooling.
In terms of health care, Australia has special arrangements with other countries which allow for their citizens to access Medicare and enable Australians to access healthcare when visiting those countries (for example, the United Kingdom).
While residency definitions differ between the systems, many migrants also pay tax.
Many temporary migrants would be classified as “temporary residents” by the Australian Tax Office and are taxed on income earned in Australia. In 2019–2022, temporary migrants accounted for $230 billion in personal taxable income.
Although there are many more migration myths that could be discussed, the above should assist you in the next spirited dinner debate over migration.
Louisa Jones does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment. Louisa received funding through the Research Training Program.
