What does it mean for the Irish in Australia?
Australia is preparing to tighten the rules for migrants and tourists, with visa overstayers facing the threat of immigration detention as the government rolls out a tougher new deterrence plan.
The changes come as the Irish-born population of Australia soars beyond the 100,000 mark for the first time, taking the official figure to 103,000 people from Ireland living Down Under.
Around 1,200 Irish people are believed to have overstayed their visas, while the total number of visa overstayers in Australia has climbed to approximately 77,000.
So what do the new rules mean?
Under the reforms announced on Thursday, family members will no longer be able to accompany international students, while working holidaymakers will be subject to a ballot system, and authorities will take a harder line on visitors who remain in the country after their visas expire.
Working holiday visas: fewer places for second-year applicants
Young people aged 18 to 30 can apply for an Australian working holiday visa, allowing them to live and work in the country for 12 months. They can apply to stay for a second or third year if they meet certain work requirements.
At present, applicants must complete three months of specified work in regional Australia during their first year to qualify for a second-year visa. To extend their stay for a third year, they must complete a further six months of eligible work.
Under the proposed changes, qualifying for a second year will no longer guarantee an extension. Applicants will have to enter a ballot, with places capped at 45,000, down from the 57,000 people who qualified last year.
The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs said tourists who break the rules could be placed in immigration detention, arguing that the prospect of being detained and sent home would discourage others from overstaying.
They added that people need to understand there would be consequences for remaining in Australia without permission, adding that those who had no legal right to stay would be removed.
Australian authorities said the government would provide 250 additional detention beds and recruit 100 more compliance officers to deal with people who have overstayed their visas. Those detained would be housed in different facilities.
The Labour government denied that the measures are a response to the growing popularity of right-wing party One Nation, which has called for a major reduction in migration.
One Nation’s proposed plan would cut Australia’s temporary migrant population by 750,000, making immigration a prominent issue in the country’s political debate.
But the prospect of tourists being detained has prompted criticism from both tourism and refugee organisations.
The Australian Tourism Industry Council, warned that the language surrounding the crackdown could damage the country’s reputation as a welcoming destination.
They said tourism was an important part of Australia’s economy and cautioned that talk of detaining visitors could harm the industry’s image.
The Refugee Council of Australia, also raised concerns about the legality and safety of the proposed approach.
They say the policy was being presented as a punishment designed to change behaviour, while questioning whether punitive detention was permitted under Australia’s immigration law.
They also pointed to longstanding problems within the detention system, including concerns raised by the government ombudsman about staffing levels and access to healthcare.
For the large Irish community living Down Under, the changes will put renewed attention on visa conditions and the consequences of staying beyond the permitted period.
*This article was originally published on Extra.ie.
Comments