Department of Home Affairs

Regulator function

Immigration and Humanitarian Programs 

  • Administer, monitor and promote compliance with Australia’s Migration Program, to serve Australia’s national interests and complement the skills and capabilities of Australian workers. 
  • Administer, monitor and promote compliance on immigration rules and requirements, and processes, including through the Office of the Migration Agents Registration Authority (OMARA), and provide related policy advice on the  provision of immigration assistance by registered migration agents. 
  • Administer, monitor and promote compliance with visa conditions, ensure integrity of the Migration Program, and provide assurance to ensure timely and accurate progression of status resolution outcomes for non-citizens. 
  • Administer, monitor and promote compliance with integration processes and supports to drive the improvement of settlement and integration outcomes for refugees and humanitarian entrants. 
  • Monitor and promote compliance with immigration regulations through client service delivery channels, to ensure clients and sponsors are aware of their responsibilities and obligations, and able to access clear and consistent information. 

National Security and Resilience 

  • Administer and monitor legislation that collectively safeguards and responds to risks around Australia’s critical infrastructure including aviation and maritime transport security, offshore facility security, national health security and telecommunications security and promote compliance with regulatory schemes by working openly and collaboratively with industry partners. 

Social Cohesion and Citizenship 

  • Administer, monitor and promote compliance with citizenship processing and ceremonies, and provide guidance to citizenship processing officers when making decisions under relevant legislation. 
  • Monitor and promote compliance with immigration and citizenship regulations in the respective regions. 

Legislation

Immigration and Humanitarian Programs 

  • Migration Act 1958 
  • Migration Regulations 1994 
  • Migration (Skilling Australians Fund) Charges Act 2018 
  • Migration (Skilling Australians Fund) Charges Regulations 2018 
  • Migration Agents Registration Application Charge Act 1997 
  • Migration Agents Registration Application Charge Regulations 1998 
  • Migration Agents Regulations 1998 
  • Migration Amendment (Regulation of Migration Agents) Act 2020  
  • Migration Agents Registration Application Charge Amendment (Rates of Charge) Act 2020 
  • Migration Agents (IMMI 17/047: CPD Activities, Approval of CPD Providers and CPD Provider Standards) Instrument 2017 (IMMI 17/047) 
  • Migration (IMMI 18/003: Specified courses and exams for registration as a migration agent) Instrument 2018 (IMMI 18/003) 
  • Migration (United Nations Security Council Resolutions) Regulations 2007 
  • Migration (Visa Application) Charge Act 1997 
  • Immigration (Education) Act 1971 
  • Immigration (Education) Regulations 2018 
  • Immigration (Guardianship of Children) Act 1946 
  • Immigration (Guardianship of Children) Regulations 2018 

National Security and Resilience 

  • Maritime Transport and Offshore Facilities Security Act 2003 and other delegated legislation under MTOFSA 
  • Maritime Transport and Offshore Facilities Security Regulations 2003  
  • Security of Critical Infrastructure Act 2018 
  • Security of Critical Infrastructure (Definitions) Rules 2021 
  • Security of Critical Infrastructure (Application) Rules 2022 
  • Security of Critical Infrastructure (Australian National University) Rules 2022 
  • Security of Critical Infrastructure (Critical infrastructure risk management program) Rules 2023 
  • Part 14 of the Telecommunications Act 1997 (Ministerial powers under the Telecommunications Sector Security Reforms) 
  • Schedule 1 to the Telecommunications Act 1997 (Ministerial and Secretary powers re: submarine cables) 
  • AusCheck Act 2007 
  • AusCheck Regulations 2017 
  • Aviation Transport Security Act 2004 
  • Aviation Transport Security Regulations 2005 

Social Cohesion and Citizenship 

  • Australian Citizenship Act 2007 
  • Australian Citizenship Regulation 2016 
  • Australian Citizenship (Transitionals and Consequentials) Act 2007 

Regulated community

Immigration and Humanitarian Programs 

  • Visa applicants and holders 
  • Citizenship holders and applicants 
  • Permanent migrants entering Australia 
  • Temporary migrants entering and leaving Australia, including visitor, student and temporary skilled visa applicants and holders 
  • Client service delivery partners and agents 
  • Registered Migration Agents 
  • Skilled migration stakeholders 
  • Workforce stakeholders 
  • Tourists  
  • Tourism industry 

Status Resolution Officer 

  • Unlawful non-citizens in immigration detention 
  • English language program clients 
  • Humanitarian entrants 
  • Unaccompanied humanitarian minors 
  • Refugees 
  • Unauthorised maritime arrivals 

National Security and Resilience 

  • Aviation and maritime industry participants, including airlines and airport operators, screening authorities,  maritime ports and facility operators, ships and offshore facilities, air cargo agents including accredited agents and known consignors, issuing bodies for security identification card schemes, and individuals who require access to secure zones         
  • Telecommunications industry participants  
  • Operators of critical infrastructure assets in the following sectors: 
    - Electricity 
    - Communications
    - Data storage or processing 
    - Financial services and markets 
    - Water 
    - Health care and medical 
    - Higher education and research 
    - Food and grocery 
    - Transport 
    - Space technology 
    - Defence industry 

Social Cohesion and Citizenship 

  • Citizenship applicants and holders 
  • Citizenship Program officers 
  • Governor-General 
  • State Governors 
  • Federal MPs and Senators 
  • ACT Legislative Assembly 
  • Local government councils 
  • Community organisations holding ceremonies 
  • Partner Australian Government agencies (Australian Passports Office, Services Australia, Australian Electoral Commission) 
  • Accredited bodies (i.e.. providing OPC, NCCHC) 
  • Visa applicants and holders 
  • Citizenship processing officers 
  • Client service delivery partners and agents 
  • Registered migration agents 

Portfolio

Home Affairs

Internal to department / external entity

Internal