Submission to the Joint Standing Committee on Migration Inquiry into the Migration Treatment of Disability
The Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Senator the Hon Chris Evans, and the Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities and Children's Services, the Hon Bill Shorten, have asked the Committee to undertake an inquiry relating to the health requirement in the Migration Act.
The Inquiry
Every year, millions of people apply to visit or migrate to Australia, and grant of a visa is conditional on a person satisfying the health requirement specified in the Migration Regulations. The health requirement is designed to protect Australia from public health risks, contain public expenditure on health and community services, and maintain access of Australian residents to those services.
Disability does not in itself mean that a person or a family will be refused a visa. However, as part of the health test, applicants with a ‘disease or condition’ are assessed on the potential cost and impact on Australian health and community services.
The Committee has been asked to inquire into the assessment of the health and community costs associated with a disability as part of the health test undertaken for the Australia visa processing.
Terms of reference
The Committee shall:
- Report on the impact on funding for, and availability of, community services for people with a disability moving to Australia either temporarily or permanently.
- Report on whether the balance between the economic and social benefits of the entry and stay of an individual with a disability, and the costs and use of services by that individual, should be a factor in a visa decision.
- Report on how the balance between costs and benefits might be determined and the appropriate criteria for making a decision based on that assessment.
- Report on a comparative analysis of similar migrant receiving countries.