Opportunity to settle in Australia on a climate visa
Climate visa in Australia and the opportunity to live there permanently (BBC News). Australia has launched a visa program for citizens of countries affected by climate change, known as the “climate visa.”
This new visa program in Australia is an important step for countries facing the risks caused by climate change. Australia is the first country in the world to launch a climate visa. Climate visa holders will have the opportunity to live permanently in that country if they wish.
In the first phase, only Tuvalu residents, from a small island in the Pacific Ocean impacted by climate change, can apply for this visa. Later, other countries in the Pacific Ocean affected by climate change will also have the opportunity to receive this visa.
A website was opened on June 16, 2025, to receive applications for this visa. See the application procedure and details in the comments: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) website.
Applications for this visa have started, and there has been a huge response. Already, more than a third of the people of Tuvalu have applied for Australia’s climate visa. If the visa is granted, they will be given the opportunity to migrate to Australia permanently with their families. According to the 2022 census, Tuvalu has a total population of 10,643.
The Climate Visa application period has just ended on July 18, 2025. 280 visas will be issued to Tuvaluan citizens in a random manner each year. Visa holders will be able to travel freely within and outside Australia, just like Australian citizens.
The Climate Visa will also provide Australian support upon arrival in Australia. Support will include access to Medicare, childcare subsidies, and the opportunity to study at schools, universities, and vocational facilities with the same subsidies as Australian citizens.
The visa application fee is also low. This year, the Australian Government has set the entry cost for Climate Visa applicants at AUD 25 per person.
The Australian Government is introducing a Climate Visa for Tuvaluan citizens as part of the Australia-Tuvalu Falepili Union announced in August 2024. Australia has pledged to protect the island from natural disasters, public health emergencies, and military aggression.
In a statement last year, Tuvalu’s Prime Minister Ghoshma praised Australia as the first country to legally recognize Tuvalu’s future statehood and sovereignty due to climate change-related sea level rise. We are grateful to them. The visa allows citizens from countries like Tuvalu to settle permanently in Australia and enhance their quality of life.
The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs has called the visa program a significant solution to climate-related displacement. The tiny Pacific island nation, just five meters (16 feet) above sea level, is one of the most climate-vulnerable countries in the world.
