By Internewscast
Over a third of Tuvalu鈥檚 population is keen on securing an Australian visa, driven by the severe climate challenges their small Pacific nation faces, like rising sea levels.
On 16 June, the Australian government launched its first ballot, inviting Tuvaluans to express interest in a special visa program, established through the Falepili Union treaty between the two nations.
This visa permits up to 280 Tuvaluans each year to reside, work, and pursue education in Australia.
With Tuvalu鈥檚 population around 11,000, more than a third have initiated applications.
Communities facing 鈥榬eal challenges鈥
For some time, scientists have feared climate change may make the Pacific Island nation uninhabitable within 80 years.
By 2050, NASA scientists project daily tides will submerge half the main atoll of Funafuti 鈥 home to 60 per cent of Tuvalu鈥檚 residents, where villagers cling to a strip of land as narrow as 20 metres.
Tuvalu鈥檚 mean elevation is just two metres above sea level.
鈥楢lopi Latukefu, director of the Global Centre for Social Justice and Advocacy Leadership, said climate change is already being felt across Tuvalu鈥檚 nine atolls scattered across the Pacific between Australia and Hawaii.
鈥淲e are seeing these communities faced with real challenges in the community from the perspective of not just inundation from the sea level rise, but also in terms of food security, water security in these communities, the impact from regular events 鈥 whether they be king tides or more serious events 鈥 that are creating a very difficult situation,鈥 he said.
He said it鈥檚 important to understand that not everyone wants to leave Tuvalu.
鈥淭he decision to leave is a very big one and a very important one, and one which is tied to a range of other factors as well to support their families, to provide a pathway for a future, to have access to education, to have access to things that are part of the opportunity that Australia represents.鈥
A 鈥榲ery generous visa鈥
Professor Stephen Howes, director of the Development Policy Centre at the Australian National University, said those selected for the visa will have significant rights to live, work and study in Australia.
鈥淚t is a very generous visa,鈥 he said.
鈥淢ost migrants to Australia have to endure a waiting period of several years before they鈥檙e eligible for benefits. But that鈥檚 not the case for migrants under this visa.鈥
In 2023, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (second from left) and Tuvalu Prime Minister Kausea Natano (right) announced the Falepili Union treaty. Source: AAP / Ben McKay
Professor Jane McAdam, director of the Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law at UNSW Sydney, described the Falepili Union treaty as the world鈥檚 first bilateral agreement that references climate change.
鈥淭he visa itself doesn鈥檛 mention the words climate change at all, but the treaty pursuant to which it was created is framed very much around the existential threat that climate change poses in our region,鈥 she said.
鈥淚t was an element that the government of Tuvalu specifically requested from Australia.鈥
Announcing the treaty in 2023, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the agreement 鈥渞eflects Tuvalu鈥檚 special circumstances as a low-lying nation that鈥檚 particularly impacted, its very existence, by the threat of climate change鈥.
鈥業t鈥檚 not a climate visa鈥
The pact has several elements, including climate mitigation and adaptation, the migration pathway, and security.
Howes said while the visa will benefit those selected in the lottery, Australia has also gained some strategic advantages through the Falepili Union.
鈥淲hat Australia got out of the agreement was a sort of veto power over Tuvalu鈥檚 security arrangements 鈥 or, specifically, security partnerships,鈥 he said.
Latukefu welcomed the new visa, but said Australia needs to take stronger action to address climate change.
鈥淚t鈥檚 not a climate visa, let鈥檚 be very clear about this. It鈥檚 under the Falepili [Union] treaty 鈥 a treaty of friendship with Tuvalu,鈥 he said.
Latukefu said it鈥檚 important that Tuvaluans are supported to maintain their connection to their lands and culture.
McAdam agrees ongoing mobility will be important feature of the new visa.
鈥淚 think the proof will be in the pudding in terms of what actually happens when the first, second, third groups of people arrive 鈥 how well supported they feel once they鈥檙e here, how much they are facilitated to create their own cultural facilities and community supports here,鈥 she said.
Ballot applications close on 18 July, with an annual cap of 280 visas designed to ensure migration to Australia does not cause brain drain from Tuvalu, officials said when the treaty was announced in 2023.
鈥 With additional reporting from Reuters