Australia’s annual migration intake has rocketed to its highest level ever, with a “big catch-up” of foreign students and backpackers arriving in droves after Covid-era border closures were scrapped. Fresh data, released by the Bureau of Statistics on Thursday, revealed net overseas migration – the difference between the number of arrivals to Australia staying 12 months or more, and the number of permanent and long-term departures – vaulted to 518,000 in the year to June. Of the 737,000 migrants arrivals for the year to June 2022, temporary visa holders made up the lion’s share, with almost 554,000 international students, skilled…
