Concerns about the rate of immigration to Australia appear to have softened somewhat in 2019. After a sharp spike in 2018, fewer than half of Australians this year (47%, down seven points) say that the total number of migrants coming to Australia each year is ‘too high’. However, this level remains ten points higher than in 2014.

When considering the pros and cons of immigration more generally, a majority of Australians remain positive, but the balance of attitudes appears to be shifting. In 2019, 67% agree that ‘overall, immigration has a positive impact on the economy’, 65% say that ‘immigrants strengthen the country because of their hard work and talents’, and 62% agree that ‘accepting immigrants from many different countries makes Australia stronger’. However, each of these results is lower than in 2016 (six points, seven points and ten points, respectively).

The pressure on cities and infrastructure may be driving this shift in attitudes in 2019, with almost three-quarters (71%) of Australians saying that ‘Australian cities are already too crowded’. However, a majority of Australians (59%) reject the idea that ‘immigrants take away jobs from other Australians’, although fewer disagreed than in 2016. The population is divided on the question of whether ‘immigrants are a burden on our social welfare system’ (48% agreeing, 50% disagreeing).

Younger Australians seem to be more positive about the benefits of immigration. Three-quarters of 18–44 year olds (75%) say that ‘immigration has a positive impact on the economy of Australia’, compared with 59% of Australians over 45 years. There is a similar split on the question of whether ‘immigrants strengthen the country because of their hard work and talents’ (75:55). However, far more older Australians (58% of those aged over 45 compared with 35% of those aged 18–44), see immigrants as ‘a burden on our social welfare system’.

Australia’s border protection policies have received international attention in recent years. Australians are quite divided on the impact of these policies on our reputation in the world. More Australians (40%) think Australia’s border protection policies make no difference to its international reputation than those who think it either helps (30%) or hurts (28%) that reputation.

In 2018, Australians appeared to be questioning the impact of immigration on the national identity. A majority (54%) said ‘Australia’s openness to people from all over the world is essential to who we are as a nation’. However, a substantial minority (41%), said ‘if Australia is too open to people from all over the world, we risk losing our identity as a nation’. Attitudes varied according to age: 66% of younger Australians aged 18–44 say Australia’s openness is essential, compared with only 41% of those aged 45 and over.

Australians were more divided on this question than Americans, who responded to the same question in late 2017 with only 29% saying that ‘if America is too open … we risk losing our identity as a nation’.