FUNAFUTI, TUVALU : The Australian High Commission and the Government of Tuvalu have announced that the inaugural ballot for the Falepili Mobility Pathway will officially open to Tuvaluan citizens on 16 June 2025.
In its first program year (2025–2026), 280 visas will be made available through a ballot system, offering successful applicants the chance to live, work, and study in Australia either temporarily or permanently. The pathway, also referred to as the Treaty stream visa, was co-designed by Australia and Tuvalu to promote mobility with dignity, while allowing Tuvaluans to maintain strong ties to their land, culture, and communities.
The visa process, which Australia’s Department of Home Affairs will oversee, aims to provide equitable access, with all Tuvaluan citizens receiving an equal chance of selection via the ballot.
“The Falepili Mobility Pathway is not just a one-way traffic. Tuvalu stands to benefit greatly from those that return to Tuvalu after exposure to work, study and life in Australia,” said Tuvalu Prime Minister Hon. Feleti P. Teo OBE.
According to the joint release, the program is intended to offer Tuvaluans broader access to opportunities in education, job diversification, economic development, and remittance flows to support Tuvalu’s domestic growth. A dedicated Falepili Pathway Support Service will be established to assist visa holders with settling in and accessing available services in Australia.
In parallel, the governments also reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring Tuvaluans can thrive at home. As part of the broader cooperation under the Falepili Union, Australia will provide an estimated AUD $47 million from 2025–2026 for climate adaptation, telecommunications, infrastructure, health, and education projects in Tuvalu.
“This marks a significant moment for our elevated partnership and demonstrates Australia’s ongoing commitment to the government and people of Tuvalu,” said Australia’s High Commissioner to Tuvalu, HE David Charlton.
The Falepili Mobility Pathway is a central element of the broader Falepili Union Treaty, a first-of-its-kind bilateral agreement in the context of climate change, aimed at addressing the growing mobility needs of Tuvaluans in the face of rising seas and climate-related risks.
The New Atoll 
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