The Department of Home Affairs has unveiled a new online booking tool that lets people living unlawfully in Australia schedule confidential appointments with Status Resolution Officers (SROs). The service—which went live on 29 October—targets holders of Bridging Visa E and those whose substantive visas have lapsed, offering guidance on lawful pathways without the immediate threat of enforcement action.
Officials say the platform is designed to shift compliance efforts away from raids and detention toward voluntary engagement. Users choose an appointment slot, then meet (in-person, by phone or video) with an SRO who operates separately from the Australian Border Force. Discussions cover visa options, departure planning, or other status-resolution strategies.
The initiative follows years of criticism that Australia lacked a humane mechanism for overstayers—estimated at 70,000 people—to regularise status. By lowering the psychological barrier to approach authorities, Home Affairs hopes to shrink the overstayer population and free ABF resources for higher-risk cases.
For employers, the program offers a clearer path to retain workers who inadvertently fell out of status; however, companies must still verify work rights and may face penalties for illegal employment. Global mobility managers should circulate the new tool to affected staff and consider sponsoring eligible employees before they exit the workforce.
Officials say the platform is designed to shift compliance efforts away from raids and detention toward voluntary engagement. Users choose an appointment slot, then meet (in-person, by phone or video) with an SRO who operates separately from the Australian Border Force. Discussions cover visa options, departure planning, or other status-resolution strategies.
The initiative follows years of criticism that Australia lacked a humane mechanism for overstayers—estimated at 70,000 people—to regularise status. By lowering the psychological barrier to approach authorities, Home Affairs hopes to shrink the overstayer population and free ABF resources for higher-risk cases.
For employers, the program offers a clearer path to retain workers who inadvertently fell out of status; however, companies must still verify work rights and may face penalties for illegal employment. Global mobility managers should circulate the new tool to affected staff and consider sponsoring eligible employees before they exit the workforce.
