Attitudes of the time led to Australia's infamous "White Australia" policy, under which immigration officers were able to demand that an intending immigrant sit a test in a European language of the officer's choosing before being allowed to enter Australia. This policy was officially ended in 1966.

Policy has changed significantly over the last century. Although it is generally recognised that any country has the right to decide who should be allowed to enter its jurisdiction, Australia now adopts a policy that is non-discriminative and it is fair to say that Australia today is a truly multi-cultural society with a resulting richness and diversity.

The framework for Australia's current immigration policy is mainly the Migration Act 1958 (the contents have changed significantly over the years), the Migration Regulations 1994, the Australian Citizenship Act 1948, Gazette Notices published by the Immigration Minister, and the Procedure Advice Manuals (PAMs). For a full list of applicable legislation click here - the underlying legislation can be obtained by clicking here. Amongst other things, the legislation and the regulations set out the basis for the controls to be exercised over the entry of non-citizens into Australia, the detention and/or removal of unlawful non-citizens, the procedures for appeal and review of the refusal to grant a visa to an intending immigrant, and the fees and procedures to be adopted when applying for each category of visa.

Go Matilda - Your Gateway to Australia