Kate Lundy (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister Assisting for Industry and Innovation) Share this | Hansard source

The Minister for Immigration and Citizenship has provided the following answer to the honourable senator's question:

(1) (a) Table 1 outlines the instances of estimated visa overstay for clients, by month since 2008.

Table 1

Some people may overstay a visa more than once within the reporting period. This information is provided as an estimate only and numbers are rounded. This data does not include people who overstayed on a bridging visa (subclasses 010, 020, 030, 040, 041, 050, 051, 060).

(1) (b) Statistical reports are not available to show the current immigration status of the people covered in the table above.

(2) The Department does not have the reporting resources to readily identify the additional requested information, and a substantial diversion of resources would be required.

(3) No. The extent to which visa overstayers reside at locations known to the department cannot be determined before a compliance field visit takes place.

(4) Table 2 outlines for each month since January 2008, the number of instances where an individual has been located in the month, within Australia, without a valid visa. The same individual may be located and counted more than once.

Table 2

As a result of updates to Departmental systems 2008-09 totals differ from those in Annual Report 2008-09.

(5) Table 3 outlines for each month since January 2008, the number of instances of compliance related departures. The data does not relate to individuals mentioned at 1 (b) as the Department can not readily identify them. Furthermore, Departmental systems cannot readily determine figures on the countries to which these unlawful non-citizens were removed, but people are generally removed or returned to their country of citizenship.

Table 3

(6) (a) and (b) Reports are not available to identify the people in the cohort described at questions 5 and 1 (b) and who have since been removed. Accordingly the Department is unable to provide reports on the removal costs and repayments for these individuals.

Overall, the average costs per removal have remained relatively constant across the 2011-12 and preceding year, being in the vicinity of $4,000 to $5,000 per client. This is based on departmental removal supplier costs averaged out across the total removals conducted during each financial year. This figure does not include detention and case management costs.

(7) (a) Table 4 outlines for each month since January 2008, the number of instances where an individual has been located in the month, within Australia, without a valid visa as at 30 June 2012. The same individual may be located and counted more than once.

Table 4

(7) (b) The Department does not have the reporting resources to readily identify the additional requested information.