The change is expected to benefit tens of thousands of family members awaiting the outcome of visa applications.
Immigration staff numbers are being doubled to 40 to help manage the additional family visa applications as a result of the policy change.A restriction placed on processing family visa applications made by refugee boat arrivals has been lifted.The government says the move is about resolving the backlog of visa applications "in a humane way".
Immigration Minister Andrew Giles has now formally reversed that policy, replacing Ministerial Directions 80 and 83. The government has also increased the number of immigration staff who are processing visas for individuals in complicated situations. The current employee group of 20 will double to 40.The Taliban’s grip on Afghanistan has ensured that very few people are able to leave directly to come to Australia, but it could facilitate resettlement for those waiting in a third country.
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