Over A Third Of This Country’s Population Has Applied To Move To Australia. Reason: Climate Change

Last Updated:June 27, 2025, 23:37 IST

Over 4,000 Tuvalu residents applied to move to Australia under the Falepili Mobility Pathway, a visa scheme for climate-displaced communities.

Tuvalu, a low-lying South Pacific nation of just 10,000 people, is considered one of the countries most vulnerable to climate change.

Over 4,000 residents of Tuvalu- more than a third of the island nation’s total population- applied to move to Australia under a landmark visa scheme aimed at helping citizens escape the existential threat of rising sea levels. The Falepili Mobility Pathway, launched on June 16, is a first-of-its-kind visa programme designed specifically for climate-displaced communities. It offers 280 Tuvaluans per year permanent residency in Australia, with full rights to live, work and access public healthcare and education. The first group of visa recipients will be selected by random ballot, with arrivals staggered between July and January 2026, authorities said.

“This is the first agreement of its kind anywhere in the world, providing a pathway for mobility with dignity as climate impacts worsen," a spokesperson for Australia’s foreign affairs department said.

Why Are Tuvalu’s Residents Leaving Their Country?

Tuvalu, a low-lying South Pacific nation of just 10,000 people, is considered one of the countries most vulnerable to climate change. With no land above six meters in elevation, much of its territory is at risk of becoming uninhabitable due to tidal surges and rising seas. Tuvalu Prime Minister Feleti Teo said, “Internal relocation in Tuvalu is not an option as there is no higher ground."

Will Tuvalu Sink Completely?

Forecasts project that by 2050, over half of Tuvalu could face regular tidal inundation, rising to 90% by the end of the century. The digital aspect of Tuvalu’s preservation strategy is already underway. In 2022, the country announced plans to become the first fully virtual nation, digitising its land, culture and government functions to preserve its identity and political continuity even if submerged.

Location :

Australia

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News world Over A Third Of This Country’s Population Has Applied To Move To Australia. Reason: Climate Change