12. Conclusions
    1. Since the commencement of this inquiry on 23 November 2022, much has happened in relation to Australia’s migration system. Starting with the Jobs and Skills Summit in September 2022; through the independent review of the migration system, which reported in March 2023; the release of the Government’s Migration Strategy in December 2023; and the release of the Multicultural Framework Review in July 2024, the nation is experiencing the most significant proposed changes to its migration system and its supporting cultural and administrative frameworks in generations.
    2. Within this fluid space and as part of this review and reform process, the Committee has sought to provide a comprehensive overview of the main facets of the migration system, as outlined in the Terms of Reference for the inquiry, and to make recommendations in-line with the evidence gathered over the course of the inquiry that complement the Government’s reform agenda.
    3. The Committee makes 73 recommendations, covering much of the operations and functions of the migration system and the wider cultural setting and administrative framework upon which it is based. These recommendations, if acted upon, will aid Australia in attracting and retaining the highest-calibre migrant workers, improve application processes and reduce costs for Australian businesses and migrants alike, improve settlement outcomes and foster social cohesion, and position the country for future prosperity with migration as a central policy lever for our nation building endeavours.
    4. Key among the matters these recommendations address is the need to re-situate migration within the administrative framework of government. As our history demonstrates, migration can be instrumental in nation building—in providing sturdy foundations for national growth, cultural enrichment, and social stability, and in ensuring Australia remains prosperous into the future. For this to happen, the government department charged with custodianship of the migration system must be singularly focussed on ensuring that that system functions to the highest standards possible.
    5. The Committee heard that the 2017 amalgamation of immigration, citizenship, multicultural affairs, and social cohesion functions with national security and policing functions within the Department of Home Affairs degraded the capacity of government to deliver a world-class migration system. The Committee is persuaded that disaggregating the Department of Home Affairs and re-establishing government functions related to the migration system within a standalone Department of Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs would provide the administrative and cultural shift necessary to maximise migration for the purposes of nation building.
    6. Secondly, the need to improve the research capacity of government is of vital importance if migration is to play a central role in nation building. Unless the evidence base of migration policy is improved through independent and impartial research that is focussed on long-term outcomes, the system will remain plagued by ad-hoc tinkering on the margins in response to short-term political and socioeconomic considerations. Research that is independent of the political process will provide a basis for migration policy to truly act as an engine room for nation building and the cultivation of Australia’s long-term prosperity. As such the Committee has recommended that the Government establishes an independent research institute focussed on migration policy and its wide-ranging interactions with Australia’s economic, social, demographic, and cultural landscapes.
    7. Thirdly, the Committee heard convincing evidence that settlement outcomes and integration strategies can be improved if settlement services are offered to migrants on the basis of need. At present only a small percentage of permanent migrants are eligible for settlement services—mainly refugees and other humanitarian entrants. While recognising the primary need of this cohort for support in re-settling following displacement, the Committee acknowledges that other migrant cohorts, too, could benefit from access to these services. Importantly, not all migrants require the same level of support, irrespective of their visa class, meaning that the system must offer tailored access to settlement supports based on the individual needs of migrants and their dependants. While the expansion of eligibility for settlement services would come with a cost impost, the Committee believes that the long-term benefits derived from a more flexible, adaptive, and responsive settlement services industry would far outweighs these costs.
    8. While advocating for an expansion of settlement services to all migrants in need of those services, the Committee also recognises that specialised settlement and employment services are still vital for refugees and humanitarian entrants. The Committee has, therefore, recommended that more be invested into ensuring that refugees and humanitarian entrants—and their dependants—are provided the support required for them to integrate and thrive in their new homes.
    9. Fourthly, the Committee heard considerable amounts of evidence on the inefficiencies, exorbitant costs, and excessive timeframes associated with the visa application system. This situation not only makes the system difficult to navigate and expensive for prospective migrants but acts as an unnecessary roadblock for Australian employers seeking to access vitally needed workers. While acknowledging that improving the Department of Home Affairs’ ICT systems is a priority area for the Government, the Committee reiterates the crucial need for the Department’s systems to be updated and rationalised in order to cut back on time and costs associated with applications. One area where such improvements should be prioritised is the development of a consolidated one-stop platform encompassing visa application, skills and qualifications assessment, licensing approvals, and connecting migrants to potential employers and settlement services.
    10. Finally, as earmarked in Chapter 10, the Committee see a need to examine more carefully the complexities of regional migration. Many of the endemic issues faced by Australia—lack of appropriately skilled workers, housing shortages and lack of infrastructure, difficulties in accessing medical facilities and GPs, and under-resourcing of settlement support services—are exacerbated in regional, rural, and remote areas of the country. Added to this, regional Australia struggles to attract and retain migrants compared to our main population centres. While the Committee has made 16 recommendations related to regional Australia, the Committee feels that this area requires deeper consideration through a dedicated inquiry. As a final recommendation, the Committee recommends that the Minister for Home Affairs refer Terms of Reference for an inquiry focused on regional migration.

12.11The Committee recommends that the Minister for Home Affairs refer Terms of Reference for an inquiry into regional migration to the Joint Standing Committee on Migration for inquire and report in this term of Parliament.

12.12There is still much that can be improved about the migration system to, once again, place Australia as the world’s most desirable migration destination and the Committee is hopeful that this report contributes to reform efforts.

12.13As a closing remark, the Committee expresses its gratitude and thanks all those who made contributions to this inquiry, both through written submissions and participation at public hearings. The Committee acknowledges the hard work by individuals, community organisations, research institutes, businesses, and governmental bodies in articulating their diverse experiences with the migration system and their recommendations on how it can be improved. This effort is all the more significant given the current high volume of reviews and inquiries currently being undertaken in this space and the Committee is thankful for this effort.

Ms Maria Vamvakinou MP

Chair

24 September 2024