POLICY AND LAW REFORM SUBMISSIONS
IARC is actively involved in policy development and law reform, with a view to ensuring access and equity in Australia’s immigration processes and promoting a just and equitable migration system.
Our practical experience provides government and law reformers with invaluable insights into the effects, and sometimes the unintended consequences, of changes to laws and legal processes.
Policy and law reform submissions
Preventing Migrant Worker Exploitation in Australia
25 November 2024
This report was produced for the UN Special Rapporteur on Contemporary Forms of Slavery during their visit to Sydney. It recommended substantial reforms to the immigration system, with a particular focus on the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) Scheme and the employer sponsorship of temporary visa holders.
DownloadMigration Amendment Bill 2024
22 November 2024
This Bill sought to enable the removal of non-citizens from Australia to third countries. IARC recommended that the Bill should not be passed, highlighting its risks to Australia’s international obligations and the potential harm to non-citizens and their Australian families.
DownloadAdministrative Review Tribunal (Miscellaneous Measures) Bill 2024
30 September 2024
This Bill makes amendments to various Acts of Parliament arising from the establishment of the new Administrative Review Tribunal (ART). Our submission recommended revisions to the Migration Act to ensure the new ART is fair and accessible to people seeking review of migration and protection decisions.
DownloadEnhancing Civil Protections and Remedies for Forced Marriage
23 September 2024
The Attorney-General’s Department sought stakeholder views on developing a model to enhance civil protections for victim-survivors of forced marriage. As immigration and refugee law specialists, our submission offered unique insights into the challenges people with precarious visa statuses might face in accessing these protections.
DownloadMigration Amendment (Strengthening Sponsorship and Nomination Processes) Bill 2024
29 July 2024
This Bill aims to establish the new Skills in Demand Visa and introduce a public register of approved sponsors. IARC’s submission commended the Bill for initiating changes to reduce workplace exploitation, and further recommended allowing visa holders on low incomes to undertake secondary employment.
DownloadReview of Regional Migration Settings
26 July 2024
The Department of Home Affairs sought stakeholder input on improving regional migration settings. IARC’s submission recommended reforms to the Working Holiday Maker program to reduce migrant worker exploitation and broader changes to Australia’s visa settings to incentivise greater migration to the regions.
DownloadMigration Amendment (Removal and Other Measures) Bill 2024
12 April 2024
This Bill aims to make it easier to remove non-citizens from Australia. IARC strongly criticised the Bill for granting the Minister broad new powers without appropriate checks and balances, potentially forcing removals to countries where individuals could face future harm or persecution.
DownloadAdministrative Review Tribunal Bill 2023
02 February 2024
We made a submission to an Australian House of Representatives Committee inquiry into this Bill, which helped establish the new Administrative Review Tribunal. Our submission highlighted the challenges many clients face in reviewing immigration decisions due to strict timeframes for lodging Tribunal applications.
DownloadReviewing Legal Protections against Forced Marriage
11 December 2023
IARC’s submission to this NSW Government review highlighted the complex barriers preventing temporary visa holders from obtaining legal protections against forced marriage. To overcome these barriers, we recommended enhanced guidance for police officers and courts, and proper resourcing for community legal centres like IARC.
DownloadReview of the Migration Health Requirement
17 November 2023
The Department of Home Affairs requested stakeholder views on health requirements for visa applicants. IARC’s submission argued that these requirements discriminate against people with disabilities and medical conditions. We advocated increasing the Significant Cost Threshold and expanding the health waiver to all visa applicants.
DownloadMigration Amendment (Strengthening Employer Compliance) Bill 2023
21 July 2023
This Bill introduced new penalties for employers in order to reduce migrant worker exploitation. IARC and Unions NSW made a joint submission in support of the Bill, while providing further recommendations to improve the rights of migrant workers in Australia.
DownloadMigration, Pathway to Nation Building
13 February 2023
IARC and Unions NSW’s joint submission to this inquiry was referenced in seven sections of the Joint Standing Committee on Migration’s final report. The Committee quoted our comments about onerous health requirements for visa applicants, strict caps on family reunion, and migrant worker exploitation.
DownloadA Migration System for Australia’s Future
15 December 2022
IARC and Unions NSW provided a joint submission to assist the Australian Government in the development of a new migration strategy. We offered a range of policy proposals to bring about a fair, just, and accessible immigration system.
DownloadCrimes Legislation Amendment (Coercive Control) Bill 2022
31 August 2022
This Bill ultimately led to the criminalisation of coercive control in NSW. Our submission to the NSW Government argued that immigration-related abuse – such as threats to withdraw visa sponsorship or to report someone to the Department of Home Affairs – should be recognised as a key feature of coercive control.
DownloadDraft National Plan to End Violence Against Women and Children 2022-2032
25 February 2022
We provided this submission to advocate for the meaningful inclusion of people with precarious visa statuses in the Australian Government’s National Plan to End Violence Against Women and Children. The submission drew on our extensive experience giving legal services to victim-survivors of Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence.
DownloadMigration Amendment (Protecting Migrant Workers) Bill 2021 [Provisions]
28 January 2022
This joint submission with Unions NSW drew on the knowledge gained from our Visa Assist partnership to recommend improvements to working conditions for migrant workers. In particular, we called for reforms to empower workers to report exploitation without jeopardising their visa status.
DownloadSenate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee Inquiry into Family Migration
03 May 2021
IARC made a submission to this Australian Senate inquiry into the efficacy, fairness, timeliness, and costs of family visas. We advocated for a fairer immigration system that allows more people to be reunited with their loved ones in Australia. Our submission was quoted in seven sections of the final Committee report.
DownloadDepartment of Home Affairs’ Consultation on English Language Requirements for Partner Visa Applicant and Sponsors
31 March 2021
In this submission, IARC opposed planned reforms to the English language requirements for Partner visa applicants and sponsors. We argued that these proposals were discriminatory and harmful, particularly for temporary visa holders experiencing Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence.
DownloadNSW Joint Select Committee Inquiry into Coercive Control in Domestic Relationships
16 March 2021
IARC made a submission to the NSW Government’s public inquiry into coercive control in domestic relationships. We called for increased education around coercive control, long-term sustainable funding for specialist family and domestic violence services, and improved training for police.
DownloadSenate Select Committee on Temporary Migration
30 July 2020
Our submission to the Australian Senate’s inquiry into temporary migration called for reforms to empower workers holding temporary visas. We specifically recommended giving temporary visa holders more time to find a new sponsor and clearer pathways to permanent residency.
DownloadHouse Standing Committee on Social Policy and Legal Affairs Committee Inquiry into Family, Domestic and Sexual Violence
24 July 2020
IARC’s submission to this inquiry drew on our extensive experience providing legal services to victim-survivors of Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence. We advocated for comprehensive immigration law and policy reform to give victim-survivors the chance to escape abuse and remain safely in Australia.
DownloadMigration Amendment (Prohibited Items in Immigration Detention Facilities) Bill 2020
12 June 2020
This Bill aimed to grant the Australian Government the power to prohibit immigration detainees from possessing certain items, such as mobile phones and internet-capable devices. IARC’s submission strongly opposed the Bill for imposing unreasonable, unnecessary, and disproportionate limits on detainees’ right to privacy.
DownloadCounter-Terrorism (Temporary Exclusion Orders) Bill 2019
08 March 2019
IARC provided a submission to the Australian Government’s review of this Bill, which aimed to delay Australians of counter-terrorism interest from re-entering Australia. We set out several concerns about the Bill that ultimately informed our view that it should not be passed.
DownloadAustralian Citizenship Legislation Amendment (Strengthening the Requirements for Australian Citizenship and Other Measures) Bill 2017
11 January 2019
Our submission opposed this Bill for attempting to make it harder to acquire Australian citizenship. It focused on proposed changes to English language requirements, citizenship by birth provisions, and the expansion of the Minister’s powers to set aside Tribunal decisions.
DownloadSenate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee Inquiry into Dowry Abuse
17 August 2018
IARC provided a submission to an Australian Senate inquiry into the practice of dowry abuse in Australia. It focused on how dowry abuse can impact women’s visa status, particularly in situations involving Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence.
Download