Prime Minister Scott Morrison has stressed the need to strengthen visa laws, as the government looks to reintroduce a plan to deport foreign criminals.
Legislation closing loopholes in migration character tests laws will be brought back for debate in parliament on Wednesday.
The proposal would see non-citizens have visas cancelled if they're convicted of a crime punishable for more than two years in prison, or if they have served less than 12 months in prison.
Visas would also be cancelled if non-citizens were deemed a risk to the broader community.
Mr Morrison said the changes were needed to close loopholes in existing laws.
"There are foreign citizens who have been convicted of very serious crimes against Australians, who have been jailed, and as a result of the law as it stands today ... we are unable to deport," he told parliament on Tuesday.
"There is a loophole that a judge hands down a lower sentence of two years, then they can get off when it comes to having their visa cancelled and being deported."
The legislation was brought to parliament late last year, but was defeated in the Senate.
Labor and the Greens argued the changes would mean visa holders charged with minor offences would be deported.
Labor has accused the government of trying to reintroduce the legislation for a political wedge ahead of the election, due to be held by May 21.
The government has indicated it would negotiate with the opposition for amendments to the bill as it currently stands.
Immigration Minister Alex Hawke said the changes were necessary.
"The reason the government is pursuing changes to the character test over the last 1200 days is to protect the Australian community from harm, to protect women and children from family and domestic violence," he said.
"It is not enough to talk about these things."
Mr Morrison said 4000 visa holders had been expelled from the country since the last election.
Labor frontbencher Jim Chalmers said it wasn't clear what additional powers the immigration minister needed.
"I'm in favour of the immigration minister being able to kick people out of the country if they do the wrong thing," he told reporters in Canberra.
"As I understand it, he has that power already, we saw that with the Novak Djokovic debacle."
