Addressing the National Press Club, he said migration done well was "nation-building" but the Labor government's policies eroded Australia's values.

The government upped its permanent immigration intake by 35,000 to 195,000 for the current fiscal year, citing a need to tackle skills and labour shortfalls.

Mr Tehan said Labor hadn't explained how the extra intake would help address that problem, adding its priority should be to keep Australians in jobs.

"Labor are yet to explain how they can run an uncapped temporary migration program and a capped permanent program, while dangling the carrot of permanent residency to temporary visa holders," he said.

"To be a success, and bring the population with them, Labor will have to explain why their approach won't have a negative impact on people's quality of life, our unemployment rate and the environment."

He said Labor needed a "coherent" approach to migration policy to ensure Australia's low unemployment rate was not threatened.

"To be successful, and to bring the nation with them, the Labor government will need to deliver a policy that balances the economic benefits of immigration while being cognisant of its impact on local jobs and skills, community cohesion, economic growth, infrastructure and the environment," Mr Tehan said.

"What you'll end up doing is seeing the pressures coming on for us to diminish our migration intake ... the key message is we have to get back to immigration being nation-building."

Mr Tehan said Australia risked losing control of its borders should temporary protection visas be scrapped, or if offshore processing was abolished.

Australian Associated Press