Who are asylum seekers?
The terms asylum seeker and refugee are often confused: an asylum seeker is someone who has fled their home and is seeking protection stating that he or she is a refugee, but whose claim has not been evaluated. In Australia, asylum seekers must prove they are refugees before they are granted a visa. They must prove to government agencies that if they return home they face persecution, imprisonment or harm for reasons of race, religion, nationality, their social group or political opinion. MYTH 1: Australia takes in more than its fair share of asylum seekers Contrary to what the media and many politicians are saying, Australia is not being swamped by asylum seekers. From January to August this year, Australia took in below average numbers of asylum seekers compared to previous years and global intakes. The UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) has calculated that the average number of asylum seekers accepted by a country in the global context is 197 per million of population. On that