Table 1

Australia's immigration humanitarian program


Visa categories and subcategories




Permanent offshore humanitarian visa categories
Temporary offshore humanitarian visa categories


Offshore resettlement
Refugee: for people who are subject to persecution in their home country and who are in need of resettlement
Special Humanitarian Program (SHP): for people who are outside their home country and are subject to substantial discrimination amounting to gross violation of human rights in their home country
Secondary Movement Relocation: temporary humanitarian visa (THV) to people who have moved from a safe first country of asylum to another country before applying to enter Australia (5-year visa)
Secondary Movement Offshore Entry: temporary visa to people who arrived without authorisation in Australia at a place outside Australia's migration zone and have moved from a safe first country of asylum (3-year visa)


Form of arrival and visas granted




Authorised arrivals
Unauthorised arrivals


Onshore protection
Most authorised arrivals who subsequently apply for protection receive a bridging visa. The bridging visa allows them to remain in the community while the Protection Visa application is processed. Those who are found to be refugees are granted Permanent Protection Visa (PPV).
Unauthorised arrivals are placed in immigration detention until granted a Protection Visa or removed from Australia. Those who are found to be refugees are granted a 3-year Temporary Protection Visa (TPV).

Sources: [9, 48]

Correa-Velez et al. Australia and New Zealand Health Policy 2005 2:23   doi:10.1186/1743-8462-2-23