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Make sense of Australia’s migration policies, with news reports and interviews about visas, citizenship, passports and more from the SBS News team.
60 Episodes
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Australia's immigration detention regime is under United Nations scrutiny this week. The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention is examining how the country deprives people of their liberty — from prisons to offshore detention facilities. And for people like Muhammad, who spent six years in detention, this review is one that's long overdue.
As thousands of international students prepare to take summer holiday jobs, Associate Professor Bassina Farbenblum, an expert on migrants' rights from the University of New South Wales, warns that more is needed to protect students from wage theft and abuse. She says Australia has a ‘pervasive problem’ with workplace exploitation of international students and those on temporary visas. Dr Farbenblum is speaking to SBS’s Sandra Fulloon.
Two panels have been unveiled at Australia's National Maritime Museum to honour a new group of migrant families. Museum Director and CEO Ms Daryl Karp and Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke say the Monument is a celebration of the long history of migrants who have shaped modern Australia.
Australia is set to issue its one millionth permanent humanitarian visa since the end of World War II as early as the end of this year. The milestone has prompted celebration over the immense contribution refugees make to Australia's national story. But refugee rights organisations say it's a pertinent time to consider how Australia can improve its response to mass global displacement.
Diwali is the biggest festival in India and many South Asian countries, marking the victory of good over evil and the triumph of light over darkness. It is celebrated by more than a billion people around the world, including diaspora communities in Australia.
The Queensland city of Toowoomba has become home to thousands of Yazidi refugees. A local hockey program is aiming to develop confidence and language skills for this community, with the help of retired locals on the field.
It's been eight years since the United Nations first recognised International Translation Day. The celebration falls on 30 September and recognises the work of language professionals who foster cultural understanding, connection and social cohesion. But some translators and interpreters in Australia believe more needs to be done to protect the workforce and bridge language barriers.
Thousands are celebrating becoming new Australians, as local councils hosted ceremonies around the country for Australian Citizenship Day. SBS spoke to some of the new citizens.
Recently, local news headlines have been dominated by stories about anti-immigration rallies which were held across Australia on the last day of August. But it's not just in Australia where migration has created such deep feelings - it's also an issue that has been front and centre in the US as Donald Trump fulfils his election campaign promise to carry out mass deportations. There are now at least a million fewer immigrants in the US, raising questions about the impact of their absence on key industries like agriculture and construction. Migration is also a major concern in Europe, which has long grappled with what to do with the scores of people fleeing war and poverty in their home countries. This episode of the TOO HARD BASKET focuses on these complexities.
Making a chicken curry on stage is not what you would usually expect when visiting the theatre. But for actor Joshua Jamil Hinton, it's the centrepiece of his show, due to open in Brisbane this month, telling his story of living between different cultures and grappling with his own identity.
Australia in anti-immigration marches.At the heart of what organisers called the 'March for Australia' rallies was a call to end "mass migration", which protesters claimed is to blame for issues like the housing crisis and rise in cost of living. Experts say a paradox exists in the anti-immigration ideas put forward at these rallies: the very people protesters want fewer of are the ones propping up the nation's economy, workforce, and future.
A wave of nation-wide anti-immigration rallies have swept Australia's capital cities, with thousands joining marches and clashing with police and counter-protesters across the country. Organisers say the events were calling for an end to what they consider "mass migration" into Australia, while neo-Nazi groups infiltrated a number of the events to stir up chaos.
The Federal Government has struck a $400 million deal with Nauru that it says paves the way for deportation of the so-called NZYQ cohort. The announcement has been met with outrage from advocates, human rights lawyers, and the Greens. Critics say the deal threatens fundamental legal rights in ways that could be applied more broadly.
As international aid dwindles, refugees worldwide face worsening food insecurity. Among thousands displaced by ongoing conflict in Myanmar, experts warn a humanitarian crisis is looming. Those who’ve found refuge in Australia are working to keep culture alive.
The federal government has announced there'll be 22 grants made to social enterprises to help support marginalised communities. It's part of an $11 million investment aimed at tackling issues like long-term unemployment and discrimination.
A group of refugees who say they've been living in limbo in Australia for 13 years have taken their fight for permanent residency to federal parliament in Canberra.They're part of a group of more than 8,000 people who had their refugee protection claims rejected under a now-abolished visa system.
A third of young workers in Australia are being paid less than $15 an hour - that's almost ten dollars below the minimum hourly wage. It's one of the key findings of a Melbourne University report showing 15 to 30 year olds are experiencing widespread breaches of labour laws. And those from non-English speaking backgrounds were shown to be the worst treated in the workplace.
Ahmad and his family have spent the past three and a half years living in limbo after fleeing the Taliban for Pakistan. He has now waited more than 42 months to hear a response to his Refugee and Humanitarian visa application from the Australian government. As Pakistani authorities boost efforts to deport migrants like Ahmad's family back to Afghanistan, he is fearing persecution and even death at the hands of the Taliban.
It was a tense week for families with loved ones in the Middle East – especially for one Melbourne mother separated from her three sons in Iran. When phone and internet failed, she did not know if they had survived.
Since 2024, the federal government has launched several policies to restrict international student numbers, including raising the fees for student visa applications, and slowing down the processing time for visas. The new rules have significantly affected the independent education sectors, which provide English learning and vocational education to international students, leading to closures of some of these institutions.
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