Joyce Exposes Gaps in One Nation's Migration Plan

One Nation's immigration policy has been criticized by Barnaby Joyce, who struggled to explain his own party's plan during a recent National Forum program on the ABC.

According to the transcript, One Nation promises negative net migration and a significant reduction in temporary entrants, but its policy leaves crucial questions unanswered about permanent migration, skilled visas, and how its headline targets could be delivered.

Joyce made several claims that were either outright false or reflected a deep misunderstanding of immigration policy, including his own party's policy. He seemed to think net overseas migration (NOM) targets and the size of the proposed reduction in temporary entrant cohort of 750,000 could be determined without specifying a target for the size and composition of the permanent migration program.

The permanent migration program is the number of permanent visas issued, including to temporary entrants who are already in Australia. In 2026-27, the government plans for 70% of the migration program of 185,000 to be granted to temporary entrants. If One Nation maintained the permanent program at the current level, around 388,000 temporary entrants would be granted permanent visas over three years, reducing the stock of temporary entrants.

Joyce refused to give a number for the permanent migration program target during the National Forum program, suggesting that neither he nor whoever wrote One Nation's immigration policy manifesto had considered it.