Ian Callinan, who led a major review into the AAT, has also recommended stamping out the practice of hiring politicians and staffers with no legal background.

Mr Callinan said there was an "intimidating backlog of cases" in the tribunal's migration division.

"There is a real and pressing need for further members and resources in this division," he wrote in his report, tabled in federal parliament on Tuesday.

"Whilst there is such a deficit in it, reviews to be made will multiply, deserving applicants will continue to live in uncertainty, and dishonest or ineligible applicants will be able to remain within the country."

Mr Callinan has also suggested doing away with a "dashboard" that shows how many matters each member of the migration and refugee division has dealt with.

"It has proved to be a distraction of the members from their work. The work of a member, as with that of a judge, is not to be evaluated exclusively on a quantitative basis," he said.

The former judge has also recommended all appointments to the tribunal be of lawyers who are at least eligible to be admitted to the Supreme Court, and strictly on the basis of merit.

"Much of the work of the AAT is difficult, factually and legally. Capacity to undertake forensic analysis and write reasoned judgments is essential."

The recommendation comes after a swag of former politicians or political staffers were among 86 new appointments to the tribunal in February, prompting the Law Council to express its concerns.

The review comes three years after the authority was merged with other appeals bodies focused on social security, migration and refugee decisions.

Attorney-General Christian Porter said the government will formally respond to the report's 37 recommendations in due course.

Australian Associated Press