Australia cancels 60,000 visas in 2015-16

The Department of Immigration and Border Protection has also informed the senate estimates committee that a new 10-year multiple entry visa will be available by the end of the year.

Cancelled Australian visa. Source: AAP

The Department of Immigration and Border Protection cancelled more than 60,000 visas in 2015-16, a Senate Estimates Committee has been told this week.

Secretary of the Department Michael Pezzullo told the committee the visa cancellations were due to a variety of reasons including more than 15,000 visa-holders overstaying in the country. Mr Pezzulo said most of these 15,000  voluntarily approached the Department to resolve their immigration status.

He also revealed that 1530 visas were cancelled and another 488 visa applications were refused under the character provisions of the Migration Act between December 2014 and June 2016.

“Visa reform is essential to address the complexity of the current visa framework and modernise infrastructure and business  practice for future growth,” said Mr. Pezzullo.

He also informed the committee that by the end of this year, a number of new innovative tourist visas will be implemented, including a 10-year multiple entry visa. The visa will have a three-month stay period. At the moment, this visa will only be available for the Chinese citizen as a pilot for a fee of $1000. 

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