Housing crisis hits new arrivals hard

The report comes as international immigration levels continue to recover from their COVID-19 slump, with 737,000 newcomers arriving in Australia in the 2022–23 financial year.

The revival of overseas immigration has been widely hailed as a key solution to Australia’s skills shortage, with the federal government aiming to bring 190,000 skilled workers to Australia in FY23–24 to bridge the gap.

The report found that older Australians are particularly concerned about the impact of housing costs on new immigrants, with 88 per cent of respondents over 55 years old citing this as one of the top five worst aspects of life in Australia.

South Australians and Queenslanders are also worried about the housing crisis, with 89 per cent and 85 per cent respectively naming this a major pitfall. The survey follows major price leaps in Adelaide and Brisbane in recent years, with median home prices now in the high $800,000s.

Alon Rajic, founder and managing director of Immigration to Australia, said: “These findings showcase just how much the house and rent crisis is weighing on Aussie minds.

“As Australians face record high housing and living costs amid a national skills shortage, these results not only reveal the biggest perceived challenges for newcomers, but what’s worrying people in each state and age group.”

The second significant concern respondents identified is the cost of living, with seven in 10 respondents naming this as an issue facing new arrivals. For those in the 35–54 age group, this number rose to eight in 10.

Mr Rajic stated: “With all living cost indexes rising by up to 9 per cent over the 12 months leading up to September 2023, we know most Australians are feeling the pinch. But these figures reveal that middle-aged Aussies, and perhaps those with school-aged dependents, see the sheer expense of living here as a major blight for arrivals.”

The research by Immigration to Australia comes on the heels of recent insights that have pointed to immigration as a means of solving the housing crisis.

Urban Taskforce CEO Tom Forrest recently stated that “we desperately need skilled trades and labourers to build our new homes, hospitals and schools”.

International students have also been identified as a means to ensure Australia’s future prosperity, with the Property Council of Australia stating that Australia needs to cultivate the brainpower of the world’s “best and brightest”.