Australia strives for an extremely strict immigration policy. People without a valid visa that comes to boats to Australia are housed in offshore facilities on Nauru and Papua -New -Guinea. Your asylum applications are checked there. There is usually no prospect of permanent stay in Australia. It looks very different for climate refugees from Tuvalu. About a third of the inhabitants of the Pacific Island State have already applied for asylum.
Tuvalu is one of the areas of the world that is most threatened by climate change. According to scientists, the island state can become uninhabitable within the next 80 years due to the increasing sea level. Two of the nine coral stolen from Tuvalu have already largely been flooded.
Climate visa for 280 people per year
Australia therefore offers climate shelter residents. In November 2023, both countries had presented a groundbreaking agreement that provides the islanders free movement and the support of Australia in the case of natural disasters. In 2024, the agreement for the so-called Falepili Union was taken into effect, with which Australia is committed to protecting Tuvalu against natural disasters, pandemies and military attacks. Australia now assigns a climate visa to 280 people from Tuvalu every year.
Since the start of the new recording program last week, 3125 Tuvaluer has submitted a corresponding application, as the AFP press office exclusively learned from the Australian authorities. This is almost a third of the 1.0,000 inhabitants of the island state. Registration for the climate visa costs 25 Australian dollars (approximately 14 euros) per person. The application period ends on July 18. According to a census, Tuvalu 2022 had 10,643 inhabitants.
Praise for a visa program
The Australia climate visa program for Tuvalu has received a lot of praise. At the same time, there is concern that the small island state quickly loses its young and highly qualified citizens. In addition, Australia must tolerate the accusation that its economic dependence on fossil fuels contributes to climate change, while his pacifi neighbors are already struggling with massive economic and social costs of global warming.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
