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BREAKING NEWS Immigration soars ahead under Anthony Albanese despite key promise - as migrant surge overwhelms two major cities
Immigration levels are soaring under Anthony Albanese with almost two-thirds of new foreigners moving to Sydney and Melbourne.
Australia took in 340,800 migrants last year - a level higher than Treasury's Budget forecast of 335,000 for the 2024-25 financial year.
While immigration levels are lower than the record-high levels of 2023, the population influx from overseas migration is overwhelmingly flowing to Australia's two biggest cities, with NSW and Victoria between them having to house 207,233 new residents.
Sydney, Australia's most expensive city, is so unaffordable people are leaving in droves, with new 28,118 people leaving New South Wales last year for another state, Australian Bureau of Statistics data released on Thursday showed.
This big exodus from NSW is putting pressure on other states.
Queensland received 25,940 new residents from other states last year, having a population growth pace of 1.9 per cent - a level above the national average of 1.7 per cent.
