More than 230 British citizens have applied for asylum in Australia, according to the latest figures from Down Under. The applications are part of an attempt by some UK nationals to extend their stay in the country, but Australian authorities have now issued a formal warning that the applications must stop because they will be rejected.
The number of applications from British citizens is now large enough to be included in official figures, though it still lags far behind countries such as India and China.
‘Seriously bad advice’ on social media
The Australian government said it had noticed UK and Irish temporary visa holders being advised on social media to apply for protection visas to extend their stay. The Department of Home Affairs described this as “seriously bad advice.”
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke is finalising a plan to deter “non-meritorious asylum claims.” The plan includes sending out more immigration officers to track down and deport overstayers who are exploiting the system.
Concerns over crackdown approach
The plans have concerned some ministers, who wanted to ensure the measures were not seen by migrant communities as an ICE-style, Donald Trump-like move, or weaponised by the Greens in a similar light.
Labour minister Chris Bowen said: “Australia needs an Australian immigration policy, not one from Donald Trump. Look at some of the countries on that list. Some of the countries on that list have provided Australia with wonderful migrants. Tony Burke is reviewing the entire migration programme, every stream of it, temporary and permanent, and he’ll have more to say.”
Refugee Council warns against stripping rights
Burke’s prospective crackdown is being fiercely resisted by the Refugee Council of Australia, which has warned that stripping work rights and due process from genuine refugees would jeopardise the country’s humanitarian program.
A spokesman said: “The answer to backlogs is better decision-making, not fewer rights. People seeking asylum must be able to work legally and support themselves while their claims are determined.
“Removing that right will instead increase the risk of poverty, homelessness and reliance on charities that are already under significant pressure.”
UK applications on the rise
The 198 applications reported from UK citizens in 2025-26 were a sign that the system remains susceptible to non-meritorious claims, given recent data suggests no UK citizens have been successful in their applications. An additional 32 people from the UK applied for asylum in July.
The increase in UK claims from September, October and November 2025, and March and April 2026, marked the first time that British applicants made enough applications to be publicly reported in department data.
There were also 105 protection visa refusals being contested by UK citizens in the Administrative Review Tribunal at the end of June, of which 87 had been launched in the last 12 months.
