This statement provides an update on Operation Sovereign Borders (OSB) activities related to the on-water reception and processing of illegal maritime arrivals (IMAs).
The reporting period is from 1 November 2018 to 30 November 2018.
During this reporting period there were no IMAs transferred to Australian Immigration authorities.
No IMAs were transferred to a regional processing country.
Three IMA detainees, who arrived in Australia before 1 January 2014, were voluntarily removed from Australia. A further IMA was involuntarily removed from Australia to their country of origin, consistent with Australia’s obligations.
Between 1 November 2018 and 30 November 2018, zero IMAs voluntarily returned to their country of origin from a regional processing country.
As at 30 November 2018, there was a total of 27 people in the Nauru Regional Processing Centre (RPC). The Manus RPC closed on 31 October 2017.
The processing of refugee claims are matters for the governments of PNG and Nauru.
