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Fact Sheet 3 – The Department of Immigration and Citizenship

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The department today

The purpose of the Department of Immigration and Citizenship is to 'enrich Australia through the well-managed entry and settlement of people'.

The department is committed to ensuring it is open and accountable, deals fairly and reasonably with clients and has staff who are well-trained and supported.

Its key outcomes, as set out in the department's plan, are:

  1. Contribute to Australia's future through managed migration. Administer our migration program to ensure long-term social and economic benefits to Australia, while responding to changing economic circumstances. Social and economic advancement through the lawful and orderly entry and stay of people.
  2. Protect refugees and contribute to humanitarian policy internationally. Uphold Australia's convention obligations through rigorous assessment of asylum claims against immigration law, and promote the development of innovative and responsive humanitarian policies internationally.
  3. Contribute to Australia's security through border management and traveller facilitation. Establish the identity and facilitate the entry of genuine travellers through a layered approach to border management.
  4. Make fair and reasonable decisions for people entering and leaving Australia—ensuring compliance with Australia's immigration laws and integrity in decision making. Deliver efficient, fair and reasonable services to our clients, using an evidence and risk-based approach to maintain the integrity of our programs and systems.
  5. Support migrants and refugees to settle in the community and participate in Australian society. Enrich Australia by creating opportunities for maximum participation in our society and economy through targeted settlement services.
  6. Promote Australian citizenship and a multicultural Australia. Effectively administer Australia's citizenship laws, and foster community confidence in the advantages of citizenship and diversity. This includes the development of a new cultural diversity framework built around the concept of social inclusion, civics and social capital.

Since its establishment in 1945, the department has managed the arrival and settlement in Australia of about 7 million migrants from 200 countries, including more than 735 000 arrivals under humanitarian programs.

The department has around 8000 staff and an operating budget of $1.2 billion.

During 2009-10, the department's staff:

  • granted visas to more than 185 000 people to migrate to Australia
  • granted visas to 13 770 people under the Humanitarian Program
  • issued more than 4.3 million permanent and temporary entry visas
  • approved Australian citizenship by conferral, descent and resumption for 119 791 people
  • facilitated 28.8 million people across the border.

Background

The department was created in 1945 as the Department of Immigration.

The department has always had responsibility for immigration, but over the years, it has had a number of name changes to reflect more accurately its evolving responsibilities. At different times, these responsibilities have included Local Government, Ethnic Affairs, Multicultural Affairs and Indigenous Affairs. In January 2006, responsibility for policies relating to Indigenous Affairs was transferred to the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs.

Today, the department delivers a diverse range of services in Australia and overseas. Its key outputs and responsibilities include:

  • migration and temporary entry
  • refugee and humanitarian entry and stay
  • enforcement of immigration law, including effective border security
  • safe haven
  • offshore asylum seeker management
  • settlement services
  • translating and interpreting services
  • Australian citizenship
  • promoting the benefits of cultural diversity.

The minister and parliamentary secretary

The Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Chris Bowen MP, was elected to Australian Parliament as the Member for Prospect in October 2004. Following an electoral redistribution he is now the Member for McMahon and was appointed to the immigration portfolio on 14 September 2010.

Senator Kate Lundy was first elected to the Senate representing the Australian Capital Territory in the Australian Parliament in 1996. She was appointed Parliamentary Secretary for Immigration and Citizenship on 14 September 2010.

On 21 February 2011, Senator the Hon Kate Lundy was sworn in as the Parliamentary Secretary for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs. The title change reflects Senator Lundy's additional responsibilities associated with the implementation of the Government's new multicultural policy.

The portfolio

In addition to the department, the Office of the Migration Agents Registration Authority (Office of the MARA), and the National Accreditation Authority for Translator and Interpreters (NAATI) Limited, the portfolio includes the following statutory bodies.

  • The Refugee Review Tribunal (RRT)—an independent organisation which reviews decisions concerning applications for refugee status made in Australia
  • The Migration Review Tribunal (MRT)—an independent organisation which reviews decisions concerning visa applications made in Australia.

Legislation

The Migration Act 1958 and the Migration Regulations set out in detail the migration laws which the minister administers. The Migration Act can be amended only if the changes are passed by both Houses of Parliament.

The Migration Regulations, which set out the detailed requirements for the grant of visas, can be amended by the Governor-General on the recommendation of the minister without the prior approval of the Australian Parliament. However, the changes have to be tabled in the Australian Parliament and can be rejected by either House.

Other legislation administered by the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship includes the Australian Citizenship Act 2007, the Immigration Guardianship of Children Act 1946 and the Immigration (Education) Act 1971.

The Executive

The department is headed by the Secretary, Andrew Metcalfe, and four Deputy Secretaries—Mr John Moorhouse, Dr Wendy Southern PSM, Mr Peter Vardos PSM and Ms Jackie Wilson. The secretary, on behalf of the minister, is responsible for the administration of the department. He and the deputy secretaries exercise statutory and delegated decision-making powers.

These officers, together with four division head-level executives, comprise the Executive Management Committee which oversees the management and administration of the department's operations.

Departmental structure

The department's main administrative centre, its National Office, is in Belconnen, ACT. The department has 14 offices in Australia located in the capital cities of each state and territory with additional regional offices in Queensland and Victoria. The department is also represented in 68 Australian offices overseas.

The department is currently undergoing a phased structural reorganisation. Under these arrangements, the National Office comprises four broad functional groups led by a deputy secretary:

  • Policy and Program Management
  • Client Services
  • Business Services
  • Immigration Detention Services.

Within these broad groups, there are currently 20 divisions and specialist units.

Policy and Program Management Group comprises:

  • Border Security Refugee and International Policy Division
  • Citizenship, Settlement and Multicultural Affairs Division
  • Compliance and Case Resolution Division
  • Migration and Visa Policy Division
  • Policy, Innovation, Research and Evaluation Unit

Client Services Group comprises:

  • Client Strategy and Performance Division
  • Refugee, Borders and Onshore Services Division
  • Visa and Offshore Services Division (includes state and territory offices and overseas posts).

Business Services Group comprises:

  • Business Transformation Services Division
  • Financial Strategy and Services
  • Governance and Legal
  • National Communications Branch
  • People and Executive Services Division
  • Risk, Fraud and Integrity Division
  • Technology Services Division
  • Transformation Program Management.

Immigration Detention Services Group:

  • Detention Operations Division
  • Infrastructure and Services Management Division
  • Offshore Initiatives Division
  • Community Programs and Children Division.

Direct reports to the secretary

The Office of the Migration Agents Registration Authority (MARA) is a discrete office attached to the department. The Chief Executive Officer of the Office of the MARA reports directly to the secretary.

The Head of Independent Merits Review, Special Advisor and Special Counsel also report directly to the secretary.

Contacting the department

Further information is available on the department's website.
See: www.immi.gov.au

The department also operates a national general enquiries line.
Telephone: 131 881
Hours of operation: Monday to Friday from 8.30 am to 4.30 pm (recorded information is available outside these hours).

Citizenship Enquiry Line: – Telephone 131 880
Translating and Interpreting Service: – Telephone 131 450

Fact Sheet 3. Produced by the National Communications Branch, Department of Immigration and Citizenship, Canberra.
Last reviewed June 2011.

© Commonwealth of Australia 2010.