Irish travellers warned as Australia announces crackdown on those who overstay visas
Authorities are examining whether a former Covid quarantine facility in Melbourne could be repurposed for immigration detention
The Australian government has announced a major crackdown on people who have overstayed their visas, with thousands of people living in the country without a valid visa potentially facing detention and removal.
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke unveiled a series of changes to Australia's migration system on Thursday, September 17, as the government seeks to bring net overseas migration down over the coming years
Around 77,000 people are currently believed to be living in Australia after overstaying their visas, according to Australian media reports.
Under the new enforcement drive, Australian Border Force will receive 100 additional compliance officers, while the government will make an extra 250 detention beds available for people who no longer have permission to remain in the country.
Authorities are also examining whether a former Covid quarantine facility in Melbourne could be repurposed for immigration detention.
Burke said the government wants to restore a system previously used in Australia where visa overstayers could be detained before being given an opportunity to arrange their own departure.
Speaking at the National Press Club in Canberra, he said the approach previously resulted in many people choosing to organise their own flights and leave Australia rather than remain in immigration detention.
However, Burke has sought to distance the measures from the high-profile immigration raids carried out by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in the United States.
He told Australian media on Friday that the expanded enforcement operation would not result in US-style immigration raids.
The crackdown forms part of a much wider overhaul of Australia's migration system, which could also have implications for Irish people hoping to travel, study or work in the country.
Visitor visas will generally be issued with a "No Further Stay" condition under the changes, aimed at stopping people from entering Australia as tourists before applying for another type of visa while already in the country.
The government is also tightening rules surrounding international students in an effort to prevent so-called "visa hopping", where people move between courses or visa categories in order to extend their stay.
Changes are also planned for Australia's hugely popular Working Holiday Maker programme.
A ballot system is to be introduced for people seeking second and third-year working holiday visas, alongside regional work requirements.
The Australian government says the changes are intended to bring net overseas migration in line with its Budget forecasts of 245,000 in the current financial year and 225,000 in 2027/28.
Official figures released this week showed net overseas migration had already fallen substantially from its post-pandemic peak.
The Department of Home Affairs said the new migration measures have begun to be implemented and will be progressively rolled out over the next 12 months.