Australia’s net migration still 82,000 people short of pre-pandemic levels, study finds

The study found that ‘total migration’ was down by 1.2 million, which was because Australia has ‘lockdown level departures with arrival levels that haven’t compensated for the pandemic deficit’. Photograph: Matthew Abbott/The Guardian

Australia is still far from catching up to the levels of migration expected before the pandemic, a new study from the Australian National University has shown.

Before Covid, net migration was projected to hit about 300,000 by 2025. But the study, led by migration hub director Alan Gamlen, found that net overseas migration may still be 82,000 people short of that number.