According to Australia’s Herald Sun, other countries that
are reportedly being considered for the visa ban are Iraq, Iran, South Sudan
and Russia.
This comes alongside a potential five-year jail sentence
for asylum seekers who resist deportation after exhausting all legal options.
The Bill was introduced just weeks before the High Court
heard a case involving an Iranian man, known as ASF17, who is refusing to
return to his home country where he fears persecution because of his sexuality.
The proposed legislation targets nations deemed
unco-operative in accepting the return of their citizens who are denied asylum
in Australia.
The laws will grant Australia’s Home Affairs minister Clare
O’Neil power to block visa applications from countries that do not accept their
deported citizens.
Meanwhile, Australia is cracking down on student visas in
an effort to curb record-breaking immigration levels.
According to O’Neil, the stricter rules aim to ensure
students come to Australia for genuine educational purposes and to reduce
pressure on housing.
Additionally, the government will have the authority to
suspend educational institutions that repeatedly violate visa regulations when
enrolling international students.
“The actions this weekend will continue to drive migration
levels down while delivering on our commitments in the migration strategy to
fix the broken system we inherited,” the Home Affairs minister said in a
statement.
A new “genuine student test” will be introduced to further
crack down on international students who look to come to Australia primarily to
work, while the imposition of “no further stay” conditions will be used on more
visitor visas.
Recent data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics
showed that its net immigration rose 60% to a record 548 800 in the year to
September 30, 2023, higher than the 518 000 for the year ended June 2023.
Newsday
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