{"id":45968,"date":"2019-03-06T15:00:25","date_gmt":"2019-03-06T04:00:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.aspistrategist.ru\/?p=45968"},"modified":"2019-03-21T15:47:51","modified_gmt":"2019-03-21T04:47:51","slug":"australias-other-border-security-problem-visa-overstayers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.aspistrategist.ru\/australias-other-border-security-problem-visa-overstayers\/","title":{"rendered":"Australia\u2019s other border security problem: visa overstayers"},"content":{"rendered":"
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There\u2019s been plenty of discussion<\/a> lately about the challenges of onshore protection claims from people arriving in Australia by air. Last month, I wrote<\/a> that air arrivals were Australia\u2019s most pressing immigration border security issue.<\/p>\n

The argument is simple enough. In 2016\u201317, 18,290 applications for protection visas were lodged by people who arrived by air, 1,711 of which were granted. In 2017\u201318, the number of claims jumped to 27,931, 1,425 of which were granted.<\/p>\n

Another dimension of the migration debate now finding its way into the public discourse is the problem of Australia\u2019s visa overstayers, who are officially known as \u2018unlawful non-citizens\u2019.<\/p>\n

The Department of Home Affairs\u2019 2017\u201318 annual report<\/a> states that 99% of the 8,694,048 people granted temporary visas in that year maintained their lawful immigration status while in Australia. However, an estimated 86,940 people who entered Australia in 2017\u201318 breached their visa conditions. Many of them quickly left the country, but as of 30 June 2017, there were 62,900 unlawful non-citizens residing in Australia<\/a>\u2014a number that has remained roughly constant over the past few years.<\/p>\n

Finding publicly available data on how long this cohort of unlawful non-citizens has been in Australia is difficult. In 2017<\/a>, the then Department of Immigration and Border Protection provided the Joint Standing Committee on Migration with the most recent detailed (correct as at 30 June 2016) data on the issue (see graph below). That same year, the department reported that the majority of these unlawful non-Australians arrived on visitor visas, nearly 15% of which were student visas.<\/p>\n

<\/figure>\n

The graph above clearly illustrates that over 50% of unlawful non-citizens had been in Australia for five years or longer. While popular media might portray the majority of \u2018visa overstayers\u2019 as European or American backpackers, remaining in Australia for five years or more hardly constitutes an extended holiday or gap year.<\/p>\n

Australia\u2019s response to these immigration challenges has been carefully developed. It\u2019s based on a conceptualisation of the border as a \u2018continuum\u2019 and uses a layered approach. Under this model, Australia\u2019s border protection measures start long before anyone boards a plane.<\/p>\n

The forward edge of immigration border security begins with some of the world\u2019s strictest visa requirements. The next level of security measures is undertaken in collaboration with air carriers that operate services to Australia\u2019s international airports.<\/p>\n

Airline check-in counters perform initial checks to confirm travel documentation and forward passenger details to Australia to support the Australian Border Force\u2019s risk-based framework for processing overseas arrivals. Australia\u2019s use of financial sanctions against air carriers that allow passengers to arrive in Australia with false or incorrect travel documentation\u2014passports and visas\u2014makes this an effective mechanism.<\/p>\n

To further enhance collaboration, the ABF has deployed 28 airline liaison officers to 19 key airports in Africa, Asia, the Middle East and the Pacific region. Officially, the officers \u2018work with<\/a> airlines, airport security groups and host government authorities to facilitate genuine traveller movements and to identify and manage threats and risks\u2019. The program has been an overwhelming success in enforcing migration rules. In 2017\u201318, the liaison officer network was responsible for preventing the arrival in Australia of:<\/p>\n