Podcast · News
Make sense of Australia’s migration policies, with news reports and interviews about visas, citizenship, passports and more from the SBS News team.
18 Sep 2026 · 10 min
The federal government says Labor’s long-awaited immigration reforms are designed to bring net migration down, ease pressure on housing and close what it describes as loopholes in the visa system. But what does that look like for farmers, current international students and migrant workers?
4 Jul 2026 · 8 min
Support for One Nation has been on the rise in recent months. But in the electorate of Hunter - a Labor stronghold in New South Wales - the party was the runner up in last year's election, one of only two electorates where that happened. SBS News reporter Kerrin Thomas travelled to Hunter to speak to residents about how they're feeling about the party's latest moves.
23 Jun 2026 · 9 min
A new report by the Lowy Institute reveals support for multiculturalism in Australia has plunged in the past two years. A recent poll has linked a decline in support for both current migration levels and multiculturalism, which coincides with growing fears about economic and social safety. A new report by the Lowy Institute reveals support for multiculturalism in Australia has plunged in the past two years. A recent poll has linked a decline in support for both current migration levels and multiculturalism, which coincides with growing fears about economic and social safety.
19 Jun 2026 · 7 min
This week, Australia celebrates the one million refugees who’ve made a home here since the end of World War Two. While some employers are offering new jobs and training, there are also calls to cut the refugee intake and some initiatives are at risk.
21 May 2026 · 5 min
The New South Wales government has unveiled the state's first Migrant Workers Centre to support temporary visa holders. It means migrant workers in Sydney now have a dedicated hub to seek help over work exploitation. It’s backed by $6.5 million in state funding over the next four years to provide workplace, safety and immigration support to vulnerable migrants across the state.
14 Apr 2026 · 8 min
Opposition leader Angus Taylor has outlined the Coalition's new hardline immigration policy. The plan has drawn widespread criticism and strong condemnation from critics, including Labor and human rights groups.
11 Apr 2026 · 4 min
A local program in Darwin is helping refugees and new migrants connect with their community, while building life-long friendships. The walking group may be simple, but organisers say at a time when more people are facing conflict and displacement, the initiative provides a welcome escape.
25 Feb 2026 · 5 min
For international students studying in Australia, accessing healthcare is often seen as too expensive - or too confusing to navigate. But a new initiative - designed by international students FOR international students - aims to make services easier to find, while breaking down taboos around sexual and mental health.
6 Feb 2026 · 5 min
University students in Australia, including more than 800,000 from overseas, are preparing for a new academic year. However, many from Iran are facing financial hardship while also grieving lives lost during recent protests.
11 Jan 2026 · 3 min
At least 29 people have been arrested in Minneapolis during ongoing protests over the fatal shooting of a US citizen by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent. The killing of Renee Good has sparked demonstrations across the country, while further confrontations with ICE agents have been filmed.
9 Jan 2026 · 6 min
Tensions between Minnesota and federal officials have deepened over a United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer's fatal shooting of a woman in the city of Minneapolis. Protesters have clashed with law enforcement in the city, the day after the US citizen was killed by ICE agents.
5 Jan 2026 · 6 min
Events in Venezuela have stirred emotion among the Latin American diaspora in Australia. In Sydney and Melbourne, Venezuelans are gathering in streets and community spaces as developments unfold.
2 Dec 2025 · 10 min
Australia's immigration detention regime is under United Nations scrutiny this week. The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention is examining how the country deprives people of their liberty — from prisons to offshore detention facilities. And for people like Muhammad, who spent six years in detention, this review is one that's long overdue.
22 Nov 2025 · 10 min
As thousands of international students prepare to take summer holiday jobs, Associate Professor Bassina Farbenblum, an expert on migrants' rights from the University of New South Wales, warns that more is needed to protect students from wage theft and abuse. She says Australia has a ‘pervasive problem’ with workplace exploitation of international students and those on temporary visas. Dr Farbenblum is speaking to SBS’s Sandra Fulloon.
22 Nov 2025 · 4 min
Two panels have been unveiled at Australia's National Maritime Museum to honour a new group of migrant families. Museum Director and CEO Ms Daryl Karp and Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke say the Monument is a celebration of the long history of migrants who have shaped modern Australia.
8 Nov 2025 · 6 min
Australia is set to issue its one millionth permanent humanitarian visa since the end of World War II as early as the end of this year. The milestone has prompted celebration over the immense contribution refugees make to Australia's national story. But refugee rights organisations say it's a pertinent time to consider how Australia can improve its response to mass global displacement.
18 Oct 2025 · 3 min
Diwali is the biggest festival in India and many South Asian countries, marking the victory of good over evil and the triumph of light over darkness. It is celebrated by more than a billion people around the world, including diaspora communities in Australia.
4 Oct 2025 · 4 min
The Queensland city of Toowoomba has become home to thousands of Yazidi refugees. A local hockey program is aiming to develop confidence and language skills for this community, with the help of retired locals on the field.
29 Sep 2025 · 8 min
It's been eight years since the United Nations first recognised International Translation Day. The celebration falls on 30 September and recognises the work of language professionals who foster cultural understanding, connection and social cohesion. But some translators and interpreters in Australia believe more needs to be done to protect the workforce and bridge language barriers.
17 Sep 2025 · 6 min
Thousands are celebrating becoming new Australians, as local councils hosted ceremonies around the country for Australian Citizenship Day. SBS spoke to some of the new citizens.
6 Sep 2025 · 18 min
Recently, local news headlines have been dominated by stories about anti-immigration rallies which were held across Australia on the last day of August. But it's not just in Australia where migration has created such deep feelings - it's also an issue that has been front and centre in the US as Donald Trump fulfils his election campaign promise to carry out mass deportations. There are now at least a million fewer immigrants in the US, raising questions about the impact of their absence on key industries like agriculture and construction. Migration is also a major concern in Europe, which…
5 Sep 2025 · 4 min
Making a chicken curry on stage is not what you would usually expect when visiting the theatre. But for actor Joshua Jamil Hinton, it's the centrepiece of his show, due to open in Brisbane this month, telling his story of living between different cultures and grappling with his own identity.
5 Sep 2025 · 8 min
Australia in anti-immigration marches.At the heart of what organisers called the 'March for Australia' rallies was a call to end "mass migration", which protesters claimed is to blame for issues like the housing crisis and rise in cost of living. Experts say a paradox exists in the anti-immigration ideas put forward at these rallies: the very people protesters want fewer of are the ones propping up the nation's economy, workforce, and future.
1 Sep 2025 · 8 min
A wave of nation-wide anti-immigration rallies have swept Australia's capital cities, with thousands joining marches and clashing with police and counter-protesters across the country. Organisers say the events were calling for an end to what they consider "mass migration" into Australia, while neo-Nazi groups infiltrated a number of the events to stir up chaos.
1 Sep 2025 · 7 min
The Federal Government has struck a $400 million deal with Nauru that it says paves the way for deportation of the so-called NZYQ cohort. The announcement has been met with outrage from advocates, human rights lawyers, and the Greens. Critics say the deal threatens fundamental legal rights in ways that could be applied more broadly.
15 Aug 2025 · 4 min
As international aid dwindles, refugees worldwide face worsening food insecurity. Among thousands displaced by ongoing conflict in Myanmar, experts warn a humanitarian crisis is looming. Those who’ve found refuge in Australia are working to keep culture alive.
13 Aug 2025 · 4 min
The federal government has announced there'll be 22 grants made to social enterprises to help support marginalised communities. It's part of an $11 million investment aimed at tackling issues like long-term unemployment and discrimination.
28 Jul 2025 · 3 min
A group of refugees who say they've been living in limbo in Australia for 13 years have taken their fight for permanent residency to federal parliament in Canberra.They're part of a group of more than 8,000 people who had their refugee protection claims rejected under a now-abolished visa system.
15 Jul 2025 · 4 min
A third of young workers in Australia are being paid less than $15 an hour - that's almost ten dollars below the minimum hourly wage. It's one of the key findings of a Melbourne University report showing 15 to 30 year olds are experiencing widespread breaches of labour laws. And those from non-English speaking backgrounds were shown to be the worst treated in the workplace.
3 Jul 2025 · 10 min
Ahmad and his family have spent the past three and a half years living in limbo after fleeing the Taliban for Pakistan. He has now waited more than 42 months to hear a response to his Refugee and Humanitarian visa application from the Australian government. As Pakistani authorities boost efforts to deport migrants like Ahmad's family back to Afghanistan, he is fearing persecution and even death at the hands of the Taliban.
Make sense of Australia’s migration policies, with news reports and interviews about visas, citizenship, passports and more from the SBS News team.
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