Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke has pulled out of a National Press Club address scheduled for Thursday 7 August, a speech that had been widely expected to reveal the government's plan for deeper cuts to net migration. The postponement was confirmed on 4 August after a cabinet meeting on Monday left several policy details unresolved.
A spokesperson for the minister told the ABC the speech would "deal with the migration system as a whole" but that "some elements of the speech would not be finalised by Thursday." The ABC reported that measures under consideration included tougher family visa rules, a cap on backpacker numbers and restrictions on the work and appeal rights of asylum seekers.
According to The Age, cabinet ministers questioned how the government would justify the tighter settings and respond to criticism from the political left. Several ministers also raised concerns about flow-on effects for labour supply in key industries and the broader budget outlook, which has been shaped by high migration in recent years.
189 pool grows by more than 5,400 in a month
While the policy debate plays out behind closed doors, the EOI Insights dashboard shows the SkillSelect pool continuing to expand. As of August 2026, there are 180,651 Expressions of Interest in the 189 visa stream, an increase of 5,401 in a single month and a rise of 40,992 — or 29.4 per cent — over the past twelve months. The 190 pool stands at 414,019 EOIs.
The median points score among 189 applicants sits at 75, which is also the most common score. Some 35.4 per cent of all 189 EOIs now carry 80 points or more, reflecting a pool that remains highly competitive even as invitation activity has slowed.
Nurses, carpenters and teachers drive monthly gains
The occupations adding the most new EOIs into the SkillSelect 189 pool this month span healthcare, construction and education. Registered Nurses nec (ANZSCO 254499) led all occupations with a net gain of 719 EOIs, bringing their total in the pool to 7,188. Carpenters (331212) rose by 490 to reach 1,182, while Secondary School Teachers (241411) added 412 for a total of 2,647.
- Chef (351311): net loss of 154 EOIs; 10,982 still in pool
- Civil Engineer (233211): net loss of 101 EOIs; 8,858 in pool
- Civil Engineering Draftsperson (312211): net loss of 83 EOIs; 5,583 in pool
What the government has already changed
The delayed speech is not the government's first move on migration this year. As the ABC reported, Mr Burke quietly introduced a substantial across-the-board increase in visa application fees from 1 July. Budget papers showed the government would collect an extra $1.2 billion in visa fees this financial year alone, a 24 per cent increase. He also issued ministerial directions ordering officials to prioritise onshore applicants over offshore applicants for permanent skilled and family visas, with limited exceptions for law enforcement and defence.
The Age reported that Burke's broader package had been aimed at bringing net migration down by as many as 75,000 people over the next two years. The federal budget already factors in a net overseas migration figure of 295,000 for this financial year, declining to 225,000 by 2027–28. Latest estimates from the government put the current intake at around 300,000, well above pre-pandemic averages.
A rescheduled date for the speech has not been announced. Government sources told both the ABC and The Age that a new date would be set in the coming weeks, with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese expected to oversee the announcement after returning from leave. Applicants tracking their position in the queue can monitor pool movements on the EOI Insights dashboard and read more about visa subclasses in the Cyclopedia.
Try these numbers yourself
The charts on this page are a snapshot. Open the dashboard to try the live version — change the month, the visa, or the occupation and watch the numbers update.
Charts on this page are example snapshots, not live counts.
