Up to 19,000 refugees who arrived in Australia by boat will be granted permission to stay forever, in line with Anthony Albanese‘s pre-election commitment.
Refugees who are have already arrived and are on temporary visas will be able to apply for a new permanent residency visa from Tuesday.
Permanent residency will be granted to asylum seekers who applied for a three-year Temporary Protection visa (TPV) or five-year Safe Haven Enterprise visa (SHEV) before February 14.
Immigration Minister Andrew Giles told local media on Monday that it made “no sense” to keep refugees “in limbo.”
Those who are given a new visa will enjoy the same privileges as other Australian permanent residents. They will have access to welfare benefits and financial aid for higher education.
Additionally, they will be able to become citizens and sponsor loved ones to immigrate to Australia.
The government will also use $9.4million of taxpayer funds on visa application assistance and legal service providers for the refugees.
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Director of advocacy at a rights organisation – Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, Jana Favero, told the Australian Broadcasting Corp on Monday that the new visas will change lives.
“This change is truly monumental in the lives of people who are on temporary protection visas as they can now get on with and rebuild their lives, see their family and have the permanency and safety that they deserve,” she said.
