Immigration Minister Scott Morrison has revoked his earlier decision to cap the maximum number of protection visas for asylum seekers.
Mr Morrison imposed the cap earlier in December in response to the Senate's decision to disallow the reintroduction of temporary protection visas.
The cap was applied at the same number of protection visas issued since July 1, effectively preventing any new visas from being issued to asylum seekers before July 2014.
The decision to revoke the cap came as refugee lawyers asked the High Court to declare the measure invalid because it was inconsistent with the minister's legal duty.
Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said Mr Morrison had been caught out trying to get around the rule of law and due process.
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"There's no doubt the government has revoked the cap on the visas because they knew they would lose," she said on Friday.
"It was outside the law."
