In February 2023, the Australian Government announced a pathway to a permanent visa for people who arrived in Australia by boat to seek asylum before 2014 but were only granted temporary protection. More than 30,000 people seeking asylum were subjected to the Fast Track assessment process and approximately 20,000 were found to be a refugee and granted either a Temporary Protection visa (TPV) or Safe Haven Enterprise visa (SHEV). 

After a decade or more in Australia, TPV and SHEV holders were allowed to apply for a permanent visa – the Resolution of Status (RoS) visa. This enabled people recognised as a refugee to be granted permanent residency in Australia. 

Drawing on interviews with seven new permanent residents of Australia who had first sought asylum in Australia more than a decade ago, this report explores the impacts of this policy shift and provides insights into the experience of receiving this status. Three overarching themes emerged from the interviews: 

1. Receiving a permanent visa is a profoundly positive experience and includes finally feeling hopeful, positive and safe about life in Australia, and a sense of belonging to the Australian community.
2. A permanent visa enables making long term plans, including starting the process of family reunion, home ownership and building a business. It also enables overseas travel, greater access to study and work options and healthcare, and Australian citizenship.
3. Ongoing challenges are evident given the length of time people were forced to live without a permanent visa, and the policy landscape remains difficult. 

The study found extremely positive outcomes for people as a result of receiving a permanent visa, as well as ongoing challenges given the length of time they had lived on temporary visas. This reinforces the importance of abolishing temporary protection and ensuring that all people seeking asylum can access a just refugee assessment process. 

Recommendations 

1. The Australian Government should provide a permanent RoS visa pathway for all people subjected to the Fast Track assessment process, including those refused protection.
2. Temporary protection visas should be abolished from the Migration Act.
3. RoS visa holders should be provided with access to a family reunion process that is fair, timely and affordable.
4. The Australian Government should implement meaningful and practical measures to redress the long-term harm and disadvantage caused by these punitive policies.