REFUGEES & PEOPLE SEEKING ASYLUM IN THE AUSTRALIAN COMMUNITY
Updated October 2023
Bridging Visa E (BVE)
at 31 Dec 2023
7,941
Asylum seekers on a current BVE living in the community. They cannot apply for protection because they came by boat on or after 19 July 2013.
Of them, 43% are in Victoria, 36% are in NSW, and 10% in Queensland.
Over 1,200 are children (585 in Victoria and 305 in NSW).
2,249
People living in the community have expired BVEs that have not yet been renewed.
When a visa expires a person’s work and Medicare rights are suspended.
Source: Department of Home Affairs.
The ‘Legacy Caseload’ and TPV
at Jan 2024
31,923
People seeking asylum in Australia from the ‘UMA Legacy Caseload'. Of whom 6,782 are awaiting a decision on a protection application.
19,934
People in the legacy caseload have secured a TPV/SHEV or Resolution of Status (RoS) visa.
7,582
People in the legacy caseload are without a visa (expired, cancelled or refused).
3,080
People have secured non-protection visas, left Australia or have died.
Source: Department of Home Affairs.
Permanent Protection Visas (onshore)
At 31 Jan 2024
2,000
People in Australia were granted permanent protection visas in 2022-23. In July and August 2023 a further 550 people in Australia were granted permanent protection visas.
18,738
People in Australia applied for permanent protection in 2022-23. The top 5 nationalities were India (2,333), China (1,599), Vietnam (1,123) and Indonesia (1,069). In July and August 2023 a further 4,104 people lodged permanent protection visa applications onshore.
12,752
People in Australia were refused permanent protection visas in 2022-23. In July and August 2023 a further 2,327 people in Australia were refused permanent protection.
Source: Department of Home Affairs.
32,340
People in Australia are awaiting a decision on their refugee claim (down from 37,093 three years ago).
77,064
People in Australia have been refused a permanent protection visa, but have not yet departed (up from 52,032 three years ago). This figure includes people who are awaiting a merits or judicial review of their case.
Source: Department of Home Affairs
Vulnerable Women and Children
897
People were granted visas under the vulnerable women and children program in 2021-22. The annual quota for this visa category is 3,500. Statistics for 22-23 are not available (as at March 2024)
Source: Department of Home Affairs.
Humanitarian intake by program
Administrative Appeals Tribunal
6,411
New refugee cases lodged at the AAT from July 23 - end Feb 24. As at 29 Feb 2024, the AAT had a total of 41,648 refugee appeals on hand.
Source: Administrative Appeals Tribunal.
Top nationalities who lodged refugee claims at AAT 2023-24
Refugee claim decisions by outcome (2023-24)
Source: Administrative Appeals Tribunal
192
The average number of weeks the AAT takes to finalise a refugee case.
Source: Administrative Appeals Tribunal
Statistics are updated regularly. Request an asylum statistic: info@asyluminsight.com.