Labour migration as an alternative for asylum seekers facing protection issues: A Sri Lanka-based longitudinal study

In August 2012, the Department of Immigration and Citizenship established an Irregular Migration Research Programme (Research Programme) to identify and address the knowledge gaps in irregular migration research, with a particular focus on placing Australia’s experience in a broader global and migration context. An underlying principle of the Research Programme is that the research be framed in an open, inquiring manner that is objective and non-partisan. The Department was renamed the Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP) following administrative arrangements announced on 18 September 2013. The Research Programme was established as a multi-layered and integrated programme including in-house research and analysis, commissioned research, a small grants programme, a multi-year research partnership arrangement with the Australian National University and a series of occasional papers. An underlying principle of the Research Programme is that the research be framed in an open, inquiring manner that is objective and non-partisan.