About 1,300 Palestinians who have escaped war in Gaza and have resettled in Australia are not allowed to study or work in the country due to their ongoing visitor visa.
According to Australian local media, the majority of these people are highly educated and are not being offered the necessary conditions to continue their lives, VisaGuide.World reports.
I am a pharmacist. I used to work in a pharmaceutical company, but since arriving in Australia, I can’t work or study because I’m still on a visitor visa.
High Rejection Rates Noticed Among Palestinians Applying for Australian Humanitarian Visa
Many of these people came on a visitor visa in October and have remained in the country since then. Several Palestinians have applied for the three-year humanitarian visa, which was launched by the Australian government to aid nationals in a similar situation.
However, not all Palestinians are allowed to apply for humanitarian visas. The Department of Home Affairs has offered the opportunity to only a dozen Palestinian families that meet certain criteria. They are selected by the government, but no information regarding who is eligible for this visa has been disclosed.
The number of applications being rejected for the humanitarian visa is exponentially high. Between October 2023 and September 2024, a total of 7,100 visa applications filed by Palestinian nationals were denied, compared to 2,963 receiving a positive decision. This means that 29.4 percent of the applications for humanitarian visas were approved, while 70.5 percent were approved.
On the other hand, Israeli nationals were granted 9,865 visas during the same period, with 255 applications being rejected.
Human Rights Organizations Call on Australian Government for More ‘Compassion’
NGOs supporting human rights have called on the Australian government to offer more opportunities to Palestinians fleeing Gaza and extend the humanitarian visa program.
Amnesty International Australia urges the Australian government to immediately extend similar measures to Palestinians fleeing Gaza. This includes establishing a fair and compassionate visa process and ensuring access to essential settlement support services.
However, little to no progress has been noticed in recent months. In August, the Australian Opposition Leader, Petter Dutton, urged his government to halt visas for Gaza refugees, citing national security concerns as the main reason for his statements.
Currently, Australia is looking into the possibility of extending the visitor visa program for Palestinian nationals, which would continue hindering Gaza refugee’s integration into Australian society and keep them away from getting jobs or receiving education.