Number of people served: 3,000+

Situated in the Indian and Pacific oceans, Australia is a destination for displaced people travelling from central to east Asia and everywhere in between. The majority of refugees in Australia come from Iran, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, or are stateless.

Because of Australia’s position as an island, many migrants attempt to reach the country by boat. Australia’s current immigration legislation reflects this, instituting mandatory detention of unauthorised arrivals, specifically those arriving without visas by boat.

Recently Australia’s immigration policy has become notorious for offshore processing. Under this arrangement Australia sends asylum seekers who arrive by sea to Nauru or Manus Island (Papua New Guinea), where they are detained until their refugee status is determined.