This week, the Australian government introduced a new bill, that if passed, will prevent people from conflict and crisis-affected countries from visiting Australia.
Under the Migration Amendment (2026 Measures No. 1) Bill 2026, the minister for home affairs can issue an “arrival control determination” that would stop people from specified regions from entering Australia on temporary travel visas such as tourist, student, or sporting visas. Once issued, an “arrival control determination” automatically freezes any temporary visa held by people within the designated group, preventing them from entering the country. This determination can be made at any time before a visa holder arrives in Australia, including while they are in transit through a third country.
The government’s explanatory materials state that people travelling legally to Australia on temporary visas could face mandatory detention and deportation upon arrival if a determination is issued while they are in transit.
While there are exemptions for people holding certain protection or humanitarian visas, the measures preclude asylum seekers who might initially enter countries on other types of visas. Australia has already blocked various routes to asylum including policies that subject people arriving by boat to offshore detention. Legal and safe pathways are already very limited.
The bill, which is expected to pass parliament this week, was introduced without consultation with Australia’s refugee and migration sector and continues a pattern of the government passing anti-migration legislation that grants the home affairs minister expanded authority with minimal scrutiny.
While no country is specifically mentioned in the bill, Assistant Citizenship Minister Julian Hill, when introducing the legislation, pointed to instability in the Middle East, saying the “current situation” showed how quickly circumstances could change and affect whether temporary visa holders would leave Australia at the end of their stay. Home Affairs officials have confirmed there are currently 61,000 people from Middle East countries with temporary travel visas.
The same day the draft legislation was announced, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke drew global attention when he granted asylum protections to members of the Iranian women’s national football team. Instead of introducing policies that place people affected by armed conflict at even greater risk, Australia should expand safe and legal pathways for everyone in need of protection.
