Myanmar citizens here to get visa extensions

Thousands of Myanmar citizens in Australia on temporary visas are to be granted extensions on humanitarian grounds under a government policy expected to be announced in coming days.

People walk past makeshift barricades set up by protesters to block a road during demonstrations against the military coup in Yangon. Picture: AFP

Thousands of Myanmar citizens in Australia on temporary visas are to be granted extensions on humanitarian grounds under a government policy expected to be announced in coming days, as the death toll mounts from the violent military coup of last month.

The Australian understands the ministries of Home Affairs and Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade are working on policy options similar to those announced by the US and South Korea, and an announcement is due in “not weeks, but days”.

The US government said last Friday Myanmar citizens stranded by the violence following the coup would be able to remain inside the US under “temporary protected status”.

“Due to the military coup and security forces’ brutal violence against civilians, the people of Burma (Myanmar) are suffering a complex and deteriorating humanitarian crisis in many parts of the country,” Department of Homeland Security Secretary ­Alejandro Mayorkas said.

On the same day, South Korea announced it too would grant humanitarian stay permits for Myanmar nationals in order to “minimise harm” to civilians.

Seoul’s measure was expected to apply to about 25,000 long-term and short-term stayers in the country who would be allowed to stay until the situation in Myanmar improved.

Some 36,900 Myanmarese-born people were living in Australia in 2018, with 3424 currently in Australia on temporary visas, and 1675 of them students.

The ministry told The Australian in a written statement in response to questions on Tuesday that “Australia is committed to its international obligations and provides protection to individuals” consistent with its inter­national obligations.

“Australia does not return individuals to situations where they face persecution or a real risk of torture, cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, arbitrary deprivation of life or the application of the death penalty.”

While it added that all applications for temporary visa extensions were assessed on their merits and not on “broad assumptions about the safety in particular countries”, the Australian understands a policy to extend the stay of temporary Myanmar visa holders is being finalised.

At least 183 people have been killed by security forces in Myanmar since the February 1 coup that toppled the democratically elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi; there are fears a more ­severe crackdown is imminent.