What’s the Immigration Department called again these days?

07 Feb What’s the Immigration Department called again these days?

What is the immigration department called? Australia’s Immigration Department, currently the Department of Home Affairs (DoHA) (as at 8^th Feb 2019) has undergone 10 name changes since 1945, it’s most recent in December 2017. However sometimes you come across an article or talk to a migration agent and they refer to a different ‘Department’, one you may not have heard of. Whilst I don’t want to delve into the reasons why all the name changes, I think it’s important to stay in the loop with migration acronyms (for example, had you even heard of DoHA before now?).

After the brief second-coming of The Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs for just one year from January 2006 – January 2007 (DIMA, the name also used from 1996 – 2001), you may still come across the acronym of DIAC (Department of Immigration and Citizenship), it’s successor, which was held from 2007 to 2013. This was the period I first came across the migration system in my time in HR and recruitment and, if I’m going to be honest, is the name that makes the most sense.

Following DIAC was the Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP), a less inviting name for migrants and it existed from 2013 until the recent change to DoHA.

These Departments are all a continuation of the same thing. Aside from name changes, various functions known as ‘portfolios’ can move when a name change occurs. However as a user of Australia’s immigration system, you just need to be made aware in time for the next change that such name changes can result in broken Department website URL’s and change in Department email addressed. Important aspects though like the forms, systems, and online portals remain the same (at least in recent name change history).