As Labor is working to implement its pre-election promise, thousands of refugees in Australia who were struggling for years will be entitled to stay permanently in the nation.
Around 19,000 refugees who entered Australia before Operation Sovereign Borders in 2013, will now be eligible to get to switch to a permanent Resolution of Status (RoS) visa.
People who hold Temporary Protection Visas (TPV) and Safe Haven Enterprise Visas (SHEV), which party committed to eliminating at the previous election and which human rights organizations have characterized as inhumane, are affected by the change.
People given a new visa will have the same privileges and rights as other permanent residents, and they will be qualified for social security benefits, NDIS participation, and financial aid for higher education.
Once they have satisfied the appropriate citizenship requirements, they will also be eligible to apply to become citizens and be able to sponsor family members to immigrate to Australia.
The long-awaited news was finally announced on Sunday night by Immigration Minister Andrew Giles, who said that previous Coalition administrations’ policies had caused thousands of Australians who have contributed to the country to live in uncertainty for ten years.
Often in rural and regional regions, “TPV and SHEV holders work, pay taxes, start businesses, employ Australians, and build lives in our communities,” he said.
“However, many have been able to obtain loans to purchase homes, start businesses, or advance their studies with permanent permits.
Behrouz Boochani, an advocate for refugees, and members of the crossbench criticized the administration last week for not moving swiftly enough to carry out its election promise.
Clare O’Neil, the home affairs minister, reaffirmed the Albanian government’s dedication to Operation Sovereign Borders and cautioned individuals against reaching Australia by boat.
She warned that you will be turned away or sent back to your port of origin if you attempt to enter Australia without a legal visa.
Under Operation Sovereign Borders, there is no chance of settling in Australia.
Our waters are being patrolled by the Australian Defense Force and the Australian Border Force, who will stop and return any vessels that attempt to enter.”
Karen Andrews, a shadow home affairs minister, was not persuaded and said the administration was destroying its border policy.
She asserted, “Labor cannot credibly claim that Operation Sovereign Borders continues since it clearly does not.”
The main danger is that it will give people smugglers more opportunities.
Approximately 5,000 applications for temporary visas (TPV and SHEV) are being evaluated at this time or are being subject to judicial scrutiny.
According to the government, the procedure will continue unaltered. If it is determined that a candidate meets the requirements for a temporary visa, they will be automatically issued a permanent visa.
Before the general online application opens in late March, the Department of Home Affairs will invite those who have a temporary visa that is about to expire to apply for a new permanent visa.
The government claims that around 2,500 persons who have had their temporary visas previously denied or revoked will be forced to leave Australia voluntarily and will not be allowed to apply for permanent access.
