More than one-third of Tuvalu’s population has applied for Australia’s new climate visa, highlighting the scale of anxiety over rising sea levels in this small Pacific island nation. With around 11,000 residents living on nine low-lying atolls between Australia and Hawaii, Tuvalu is considered one of the world’s most climate-vulnerable countries. Scientists warn that much of the nation could become uninhabitable within decades as ocean levels rise and two of its coral atolls have already nearly disappeared beneath the waves.

Since the visa lottery opened in June, over 1,100 Tuvaluans have registered as primary applicants, and when their family members are included, the total number of applicants rises to more than 4,000. This figure represents over a third of the country’s population, far exceeding the annual cap of 280 visas set by Australia under the Falepili Union treaty signed in 2024. The application window closes on July 18.

The visa allows successful Tuvaluan applicants and their families to live, work, and study in Australia, with access to healthcare and education on the same basis as Australian citizens. The program was created in response to the existential threat posed by climate change, providing a legal and dignified migration pathway for those at risk from environmental changes. The high number of applicants reflects both the urgency of Tuvalu’s climate crisis and the limited options available to its citizens as their homeland faces an uncertain future.

Image Credit: Gabriella Jacobi, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons