A Record Year for Arrivals in Australia: What South Africans Should Make of the ABS Figures

News · 2026-08-22 · 3 min read

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has put out new figures for the June 2026 reference period, and they back up what many applicants, employers and families already sensed. Australia is still one of the places people most want to go when starting over.

Straight from the ABS Release

The updated Overseas Arrivals and Departures series shows:

27,030 net permanent and long-term overseas arrivals in June 2026 on its own
275,810 net arrivals across January to June 2026
476,870 net permanent and long-term overseas arrivals for the 2025–26 financial year, the biggest annual total on record

This is not a once-off jump. Over the past decade, yearly net arrivals have almost doubled, rising 96% from around 243,900 at the start of that period.

Housing Is the Sore Point

A record can easily be read as a story about strain, and some of that is fair. Infrastructure and housing supply are serious topics in Canberra and in every state capital. Housing approvals for the same financial year came to roughly 205,249, lower than a decade ago. The gap between population growth and new housing is a real policy problem that governments, planners and industry still have to work on.

Why Demand Stays Strong

There is another reading, and it is the one that counts if you are the person inside the statistic. Australia keeps choosing to grow through migration, not in spite of the pressures but because the long-term economic and social case still holds. Skilled workers, international students, family migrants and humanitarian entrants keep industries staffed, universities funded and communities growing. Record numbers point to record demand on both sides. Employers are still hiring from overseas, and the visa system, while far from perfect, is still moving people through in large numbers.

Three Things to Factor into Your Plans

Whether you are looking at a skilled visa, a partner or family visa, or a study-to-work route, keep these points in mind:

The demand is genuine. High arrival numbers usually go hand in hand with an active visa program rather than a shrinking one. Large volumes can also mean longer queues in some streams, though, so an early, well-prepared application counts for more than ever.
Rules can change fast. When migration becomes a big public and political issue, as it plainly has, with groups such as the Institute of Public Affairs calling for "corrective action", governments sometimes react with policy changes: occupation list updates, quota shifts or visa fee changes. Getting ahead of these changes instead of scrambling afterwards is one of the most useful things a migration adviser can help with.
Regional routes may give you an edge. With housing and infrastructure pressure concentrated in the big cities, expect ongoing government incentives for pathways linked to regional Australia and areas of identified economic need.

For South Africans, being well prepared means having the basics sorted before you apply: your SAPS police clearance, an IELTS or PTE result if your visa or employer asks for one, and certified copies of your qualifications. If you are moving with a partner and children, plan their documents at the same time.

Timing and Preparation Win

Record migration figures make headlines, but they also point the way. Australia's population and economic plans still run largely through overseas arrivals. For anyone chasing jobs in Australia for South Africans, handling the system well, with sound advice and good timing, is what separates a smooth pathway from a stuck one.

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