Home > Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook > Appendix A: Policy Decisions Taken Since the 2011‑12 Budget > Expense Measures > Immigration and Citizenship

Appendix A: Expense Measures (Continued)

Immigration and Citizenship

Humanitarian Migration Program — decrease of 4,000 places

Expense ($m)
	2010‑11	2011‑12	2012‑13	2013‑14	2014-15
Department of Immigration and Citizenship	-	-30.5	-45.4	-61.5	-79.0

The Government will realise savings of $216.4 million over four years by reversing the 2011‑12 Budget measure Humanitarian Migration Program — increase of 4,000 places. Australia will continue to honour its agreement with Malaysia to resettle 4,000 refugees. However, these refugee places will be met from within the existing annual humanitarian cap.

While offshore processing of Irregular Maritime Arrivals such as the Malaysia agreement remains the Government's preferred policy, onshore processing arrangements will be put in place until offshore processing becomes possible.

See also the related savings measure Malaysia transfer agreement — Removal of funding for implementation costs.

Malaysia transfer agreement — Removal of funding for implementation costs

Expense ($m)
	2010‑11	2011‑12	2012‑13	2013‑14	2014-15
Department of Immigration and Citizenship	-	-23.8	-18.2	-15.6	-13.3

The Government will realise savings of $70.9 million over four years by reversing the 2011‑12 Budget measure Regional Cooperation Framework — Transfer of Irregular Arrivals to Malaysia.

See also the related savings measure Humanitarian Migration Program — decrease of 4,000 places.

Regional Cooperation Framework — establishment of a regional support office

Expense ($m)
	2010‑11	2011‑12	2012‑13	2013‑14	2014-15
Department of Immigration and Citizenship	-	0.7	1.5	1.5	1.5

The Government will provide $5.2 million over four years to establish a support office in a regional country. The office will take a lead role in coordinating a common approach to tackling irregular migration in the region as well as providing ongoing assistance to regional countries.

Student Visa Simplification

Expense ($m)
	2010‑11	2011‑12	2012‑13	2013‑14	2014-15
Department of Immigration and Citizenship	-	-	-	-	-
Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations	-	-	-	-	-
Total - Expense	-	-	-	-	-

The Government will provide $3.6 million over four years for a number of measures that will improve the integrity of the Student Visa Program and increase the competitiveness of Australia's international education sector.

A new temporary entrant criterion will be introduced to determine whether visa applicants are genuine temporary entrants who intend to return to their country of origin at the completion of their studies.

A review of the risk assessment level framework will be undertaken. A voluntary streamlined student visa processing system for Australian universities will be established as a first step ahead of the finalisation of the review in mid‑2013. A mandatory requirement will also be introduced for education providers to report details of agents who recruit international students to their institutions.

Access to a post‑study temporary work visa will be made available to international university graduates at Bachelor or higher degree level, with work rights commensurate with the duration of study.

The cost of this measure will be met through the existing resources of the Department of Immigration and Citizenship and the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations.

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