Alarming figures have revealed that less than one third of migrants whose visas were cancelled in the last year have been deported from Australia.

Home Affairs officials cancelled 5,186 onshore visas in 2025, but only removed 1,502 non-citizens, The Daily Telegraph reported. 

Of that cohort, 14 were found to be either risks to 'health, safety and good order, vilify segments of the Australian community (or) represent a danger to the Australian community'. 

A Freedom of Information request earlier this week revealed that 77,700 unlawful non-migrants remain in Australia.

Almost a third (25,000) of them have been without valid visas for more than a decade.

Liberal senator Jonno Duniam called on the Albanese government to intervene and deport non-citizens rorting the system.

'Too many people living here illegally … getting taxpayer support for housing, our hospital system, roads, the whole gamut,' he said.

'This is despite migrants who have come here the right way and contributed to our great nation immeasurably.'

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke explained that deportations vary in complexity and timeframes, depending on individual circumstances.

'There are many different people within this cohort … you will have some people who have accidentally overstayed their visa, who need to go in and apply or may have applied but the new visa hasn't been issued,' he told reporters on Wednesday.

'There are people within the group where there is a national interest in Australia that people will want them. 

'There are other people who have played a game and I will have more to say about this in the coming months.

'There are people who have played a game in terms of moving from visa to visa where they are saying they are here for a temporary purpose are not planning to ever go back.'

Burke added that the government was working through 'a ridiculous backlog' inherited from the former Coalition government four years ago.

'Some of the backlogs when we came to office were in the order of 100,000,so we've been getting through it, we've been getting the numbers down,' he said.

'The position is really simple from this government- we have a bigger problem that I wish we has 

Burke also put those living illegally in Australia on notice.

'My simple message to anyone that thinks what you should do when your visa runs out, you should leave Australia- that's how a visa system operates,' he said.

2GB presenter Lucy Zelic blasted Burke's message to non-citizens.

'That will do it Tony - they're trembling in their boots and packing their bags as we speak,' she told listeners.

'I'll tell you my theory of why they're ramped up this type of rhetoric-  it's because under the Albanese government, this side of government are desperate poll chasers.'