Almost 32,000 asylum seekers already in Australia after arriving by boat will never get permanent settlement and will be stripped of the right to appeal to the courts, under a policy reportedly to be announced by the coalition.
If the coalition wins government it will also introduce indefinite work-for-the-dole obligations for those found to be refugees, Fairfax media reports.
Department of Immigration figures compiled last week showed 31,986 asylum seekers were living in the community on bridging visas, in community detention, in mainland detention centres or on Manus Island and Nauru.
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott and his immigration spokesman Scott Morrison will announce on Friday that those people will be denied the right to ever settle in Australia, creating a crucial point of difference between the coalition and Labor, Fairfax reported.
"The key points of difference are that Labor would give them permanent visas, but we'll give them temporary visas," Mr Morrison said.
"There's been a lot of focus on stopping the boats, as there should be, but that sort of passes over what's almost a bigger task, which is the legacy caseload of tens of thousands of people in the system."
Under the coalition's revamped scheme, people would only be given a Temporary Protection Visa after being found to be a refugee and being released into the community, Fairfax reported.
They would be allowed only a temporary visa for up to three years, after which they could apply for another visa if it was not safe to return to their homeland.
They would be forbidden to apply for family reunion, and from re-entry to Australia if they travelled out, and they would be required to work for the dole.
