Joint Standing Committee on Migration: terms of reference announced

The Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Senator Chris Evans, and the Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities and Children's Services, the Hon Bill Shorten, have announced the terms of reference for an inquiry relating to the health requirement in the Migration Act.

The Joint Standing Committee on Migration will investigate the assessment of the health and community costs associated with a disability as part of the health test undertaken for visa processing.

The specific terms of reference are:

• Report on the options to properly assess the economic and social contribution of people with a disability and their families seeking to migrate Australia.
• Report on the impact on funding for, and availability of, community services for people with a disability moving to Australia either temporarily or permanently
• Report on whether the balance between the economic and social benefits of the entry and stay of an individual with a disability, and the costs and use of services by that individual, should be a factor in a visa decision.
• Report on how the balance between costs and benefits might be determined and the appropriate criteria for making a decision based on that assessment.
• Report on a comparative analysis of similar migrant receiving countries

Read the full text of the Minister's media release here.