Tuvalu Climate Visa Ballot to Close July 18

Nearly a third of Tuvalu's roughly 10,000 citizens have entered a ballot for Australia's climate migration visa program, created under the 2024 Falepili Union Treaty, as rising sea levels threaten to make the country uninhabitable within 80 years. Australia will grant residency to 280 Tuvaluans per year, making this the world’s first planned migration agreement for a nation endangered by climate change. More than 3,100 applicants joined the ballot soon after it opened, far exceeding the number of available visas. The ballot for the program closes on July 18, and the first successful migrants are expected to arrive in Australia by the end of the year. While the agreement offers a dignified migration pathway, it has raised concerns over a potential loss of skilled workers from Tuvalu. The initiative is also seen as part of Australia’s effort to strengthen its influence in the Pacific amid regional geopolitical competition.