A June 30 deadline has been set to interview asylum seekers into Australia whose applications have not been processed by the Legacy Caseload of International Maritime Arrivals.
The IMA Legacy Caseload comprises 31,000 asylum seekers who arrived in the country between August 2012 and January 2014. The new laws implemented in 2014 removed a path to permanent citizenship leaving asylum seekers to only apply for a temporary protection visa.
The Department of Home Affairs has indicated over 1,000 applications have not been interviewed and refugee legal services remain inundated with applications.