Armchair_Politician wrote on May 12
th, 2012 at 7:51pm:
Actually, they aren't part of our immigration program.
Seriously, where are you getting your information from?
"During 2009-10, Australia passed the 750,000 mark in its intake of refugees and
humanitarian entrants since nationhood.
"The 13,770 refugee and
humanitarian visas issued in 2009-10 were divided between 9,236 offshore refugee and humanitarian visas (the lowest number in eight years) and 4,534 onshore visas (the second highest on record). These
included 2,156 onshore visas granted to asylum seekers who entered Australia by boat. "
http://www.refugeecouncil.org.au/resources/intakesub/2011-12_IntakeSub.pdf"Humanitarian Program
"The Humanitarian Program has two important functions:
"the onshore protection/asylum component fulfils Australia's international obligations by offering protection to people already in Australia who are found to be refugees according to the Refugees Convention
"the offshore resettlement component expresses Australia's commitment to refugee protection by going beyond these obligations and offering resettlement to people overseas for whom this is the most appropriate option."
http://www.immi.gov.au/media/fact-sheets/60refugee.htm#bAs I said: Boat people, seeking asylum, form part of the Immigration Department's humanitarian program.