The applications have been made possible by Canada’s program in which private citizens can sponsor a refugee’s resettlement, as long as they commit to providing “emotional and financial support to the refugee for the full sponsorship period” and raise the equivalent of one year of social security.
Spindari said the organisation felt the need to intervene in the plight of refugees in indefinite detention.
“There is no end in sight for the refugees who have been in detention for up to seven years, some even more, and who are really facing horrible circumstances. Their mental health is deteriorating, and there have been cases of people attempting suicide,” he said.
Claire Higgins
This excessive spending raises serious raise questions about the government s long-term planning for refugees stuck in limbo.
Photo: Paul Braven/AAP
Refugees and asylum seekers will take little comfort from the 2021–22 budget. Resettlement places remain capped, while spending on offshore processing, immigration detention and deterrence measures remains high.
For those still held offshore in Papua New Guinea or Nauru, in detention here in Australia, or on temporary visas in our community, the budget compounds the human cost of Australia’s hardline asylum policy.
Cap remains the same on refugee placements
Before COVID-19, Australia’s humanitarian program provided for the resettlement of up to 18,750 refugees and others in need each year. The program fell short of this number early last year when international travel was restricted due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
Refugees and asylum seekers will take little comfort from the 2021–22 budget. Resettlement places remain capped, while spending on offshore processing, immigration detention and deterrence measures remains high.
For those still held offshore in Papua New Guinea or Nauru, in detention here in Australia, or on temporary visas in our community, the budget compounds the human cost of Australia’s hardline asylum policy.
Cap remains the same on refugee placements
Before COVID-19, Australia’s humanitarian program provided for the resettlement of up to 18,750 refugees and others in need each year. The program fell short of this number early last year when international travel was restricted due to the COVID-19 outbreak.