Opening the Doors

Working with refugee & migrant young people

Common myths

Myth 1: Australia accepts more refugees than migrants
There are two main visa categories for Australia's immigration program.

The Humanitarian Program is for refugees and others with humanitarian need.

The Migration Program is for family migrants who are sponsored by family members already in Australia, and for skilled migrants who gain entry to Australia because of their work or business skills, and for those in the special eligibility stream.

The Australian Government sets a quota for each of these programs each year.

During 2005/06 year:
13,000 places were set aside for those in the Humanitarian Program
120,000 places were set aside for those in the Migration Program.

Myth 2: Australia is accepting more refugees than ever before
For the past five years Australia has accepted around 13,000 refugees each year.

This annual figure has reduced in number over the past two decades. Australia accepted 20,000 refugees each year at the beginning of the 1980s.

Myth 3: All refugees spend time in Australian detention centres
People who arrive under the Humanitarian Program have been granted a permanent and valid visa from the Australian Government. They do not spend time in detention centres.

People who arrive in Australia seeking asylum ("asylum seekers") without valid visas are detained in mandatory detention centres until their claims are assessed. Australia is the only western country that mandatorily detains asylum seekers whilst their claims are being heard. 84% of all asylum seekers (97% of applicants from Iran and 93% of applicants from Afghanistan) are found to be legitimate refugees and are able to stay in Australia. 17

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