Immigration Laws: June, 2000 - Number #23

On May 9, the Australian government unveiled a range of tough new measures to slow the influx of illegal immigrants to Australia. An additional US$68 million has been allocated over four years to combat people smuggling and establish two new detention centers for illegal immigrants in Darwin and Brisbane. An Indonesian who was promised about $750 to help take 300 migrants to Australia was sentenced to seven years in jail in Australia in May 2000.

The most controversial measure gives genuine refugees who arrive in Australia illegally a maximum three-year visa and restricts their access to welfare payments. At the end of three years, even foreigners judged to be refugees are expected to leave Australia.

Australia will place immigration compliance officers at Australia's consulates in Islamabad, Belgrade, Moscow, Amman, Tehran, Suva and Cairo to combat document and identity fraud. Airline liaison officers will also be stationed in airports known to be key transit routes for unauthorized arrivals.

The National Farmers Federation is complaining about proposed employer sanctions, which would require employers to prove that their employees had the right to work in Australia. Farmers complained that sanctions would "place excessive burdens on employers and would be disproportionately harsh on the horticultural industry and other industries engaging large numbers of short-term workers." There are believed to be 50,000 unauthorized foreigners in Australia.

Australia is reviewing visa applications to deter overstayers— some 77,278 of the 3.1 million applications for visas were denied in 1998-99. Rejection rates were as high as 50 percent for Pakistanis.

"Australian budget— Govt tries to stem tide of illegal entrants," Reuters, May 9, 2000.