Overview
- By early July, 1,124 primary applicants and their 2,928 family members had registered, totaling 4,052 people vying for 280 annual visas
- The Falepili Union treaty grants successful applicants permanent residency rights to live, work and study in Australia with access to healthcare and education on par with citizens
- Applicants do not need a job offer to qualify and will learn their lottery results after the July 18 deadline
- The bilateral agreement includes climate adaptation funding, disaster response assistance and a security clause requiring Tuvalu to seek Australia’s approval for other defense arrangements
- Facing a mean elevation of two metres and a projected daily inundation of half Funafuti by 2050, Tuvalu has built seven hectares of artificial land and plans more to stave off rising seas