Hit List of Those Most Likely to Stay Too Long
May 19, 2000
If you’re a Greek female aged 20 to 29, a Russian female aged 20 or over, Lebanese and 20-plus or Pakistani and under 50, you’re a high overstay risk if you come into the country, according to the Federal Government.
The Government has a high-risk list to help determine who should and who shouldn’t be allowed an easy road to a tourist visa into the country - a tool which it is using more rigorously than ever before.
But there are complaints the list does not target the highest numbers of overstayers - those from Britain and the United States.
A similar version to the current list, obtained by the Herald, was originally introduced during the Labor years, but the Opposition believes it is being followed more tightly under the the Coalition and the Federal Immigration Minister, Mr Ruddock.
That is borne out in the numbers being refused visitor visas in Australia at present. They are up to double the number refused annually during the final five years of the Labor regime.
In the final year of the Keating Government, 1995-96, there were 43,733 visitors’ visas refused, out of 2.94 million applications.
