Australia’s system for processing asylum claims continues to face pressure, with thousands of people waiting for decisions or moving through lengthy review processes.

Data cited by the Refugee Council of Australia shows that more than 30,000 people were still waiting for an initial decision on Protection Visa applications. The broader process can take considerably longer when cases are challenged through administrative or judicial review.

Recent figures provide a further indication of the scale of applications entering the system. 9,732 people applied for permanent protection between July and November 2025, while 2,001 permanent protection visas were granted during the same five-month period. In the 2024–25 financial year, there were 23,576 onshore protection applications and 4,045 permanent protection visa grants.

At the same time, 24,924 applications were refused during 2024–25, illustrating the large volume of cases moving through Australia’s protection system. Asylum applicants came from a wide range of countries, with India, China, Indonesia, the Philippines and Pakistan among the leading nationalities recorded in the first five months of 2025–26.

Processing times remain another concern. The Australian Human Rights Commission has reported that the average processing time for a permanent protection visa exceeds 900 days.

Australia is also maintaining a 20,000-place Refugee and Humanitarian Program for 2025–26, covering both offshore resettlement and protection obligations for eligible people already in the country.