Department of Immigration and Border Protection

What Department of Immigration and Border Protection does

The Department of Immigration and Border Protection was the predecessor entity to the Department of Home Affairs, a federal government department of the Commonwealth of Australia established in its current form in 2017. The department is headquartered in Belconnen, Australia, and operates with a headcount of 5,001-10,000 employees. It holds exclusive statutory authority over Australia's immigration system, border protection enforcement, national security coordination, cyber security, emergency management, and multicultural affairs. The department oversees an integrated portfolio of operational agencies including the Australian Border Force, Australian Federal Police, ASIO, AUSTRAC, the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission, the National Emergency Management Agency, and the Australian Institute of Criminology.

Its core digital products are built on a government digital services infrastructure. ImmiAccount is the primary online portal for visa application submission and case management, used by individuals applying for Australian visas. The Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO) system is a globally accessible lookup service that enables employers, education providers, and other authorized parties to verify visa details and conditions. Border Watch provides an anonymous reporting channel for suspicious immigration, customs, and border-related activity, and the National Security Hotline is a telephone-based reporting service for national security concerns.

The department's revenue model is non-commercial: it is funded through annual parliamentary appropriations from the Australian Government rather than through pricing its services in an open market. It serves three primary customer segments: visa applicants and migrants (individuals navigating immigration pathways), employers and businesses (sponsoring foreign workers and engaging international talent), and international travelers (requiring visa verification at the border). Its marketing and distribution channels are predominantly digital-first via official government websites and social media, with self-service online portals forming the primary delivery mechanism for immigration and visa services.

Name

Department of Immigration and Border Protection

Legal name

Department of Home Affairs

Website

https://border.gov.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

The Department of Immigration and Border Protection (now Department of Home Affairs) is the Australian federal department responsible for immigration policy, visa processing, border protection, and national security coordination, serving visa applicants, employers, and travelers through digital portals and a portfolio of operational agencies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Government Immigration and Border Protection Services

NAICS

National Security and International Affairs (928), International Affairs (92812), Public Administration (92)

SIC

International Affairs (9721)

akta.pro primary industry

Immigration, Citizenship & Border Administration (Civil) (BPAIAAAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

Visa, Immigration Liaison & Travel Document Policy (Foreign Affairs) (BPAIAIAL), Port Health & Border Health Authorities (including quarantine stations) (HLAJAAAF), Customs, Immigration & Border Processing Services (TLAHAEAF), Digital Access & Online Government Services for Immigrants (EDAAADAF)

Keywords

• Visa application services
• Border protection enforcement
• Immigration processing
• Customs compliance services
• National security coordination

Headquarters

HQ city

Belconnen

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

The Department of Home Affairs (formerly Department of Immigration and Border Protection) manages Australia's immigration system by processing visa applications, delivering citizenship services, and enforcing border protection and customs compliance. It operates digital platforms including ImmiAccount for visa application management, VEVO for visa status verification, and Border Watch for anonymous reporting of suspicious activity. The department coordinates national security efforts across multiple agencies within the Home Affairs portfolio.

Product overview

The Department of Home Affairs (formerly Department of Immigration and Border Protection) operates a portfolio of digital services and portals for immigration, border security, and national security functions. The core digital products include ImmiAccount for visa application management, Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO) for visa status verification, Border Watch for anonymous reporting of suspicious activities, and the National Security Hotline. These services collectively support visa processing, border protection, and national security reporting functions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ImmiAccount Online visa application portal allowing individuals to submit and manage visa applications electronically. Used by visa applicants and migrants for immigration case management.
• Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO)
• Border Watch
• National Security Hotline

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Australian Border Force (ABF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerABF is an operational agency within the Home Affairs portfolio responsible for border enforcement, customs compliance, and trade facilitation.
• National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNEMA leads and coordinates emergency management efforts in Australia, supporting communities affected by natural disasters domestically and overseas.
• Australian Federal Police (AFP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal law enforcement agency responsible for preventing, investigating and prosecuting crime, protecting Commonwealth interests, and coordinating international police operations.
• Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAustralia's security intelligence agency responsible for collecting, analysing and advising on threats to security.
• Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (AUSTRAC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAustralia's financial intelligence unit, supporting law enforcement and national security through anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing oversight.
• Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides national criminal intelligence, supporting law enforcement and government agencies in preventing, detecting and responding to crime.
• Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational research body on crime and criminal justice, providing research and knowledge translation to inform policy and practice.
• National Security HotlinecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerA national telephone service operated by the Department that allows people to report concerns about unusual or suspicious activities that may relate to national security.
• Critical Infrastructure Security Centre (CISC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResponsible for protecting Australia's critical infrastructure from security threats, providing coordination and support across 16 critical infrastructure sectors.
• AusCheckcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHelps to treat trusted-insider risks in Australia's security-sensitive critical infrastructure sectors through background checking services.
• Office of the Migration Agents Registration Authority (OMARA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegulates registered migration agents to protect consumers of migration advice services in Australia.
• Protective Security Policy Framework (PSPF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSets out Australian Government policy across six security domains to protect government people, information and assets.
• Hosting Certification FrameworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerA framework for certifying cloud services for Australian Government data, ensuring secure hosting of government information.
• Illicit Tobacco and E-cigarette CommissionercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndependent Commissioner fighting against illicit tobacco and e-cigarettes in Australia through enforcement and compliance activities.

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Frontex (European Border and Coast Guard Agency): EU agency coordinating border control, surveillance, and risk analysis across member states. Comparable to ABF's role in border enforcement and intelligence coordination, but operating at supranational rather than national scale.
• U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE): U.S. federal law enforcement agency under DHS enforcing immigration and customs laws. Comparable to the Australian Border Force (a division of the department) — both handle enforcement, detention, and removal functions rather than policy or front-door visa processing.
• U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS): U.S. federal department consolidating immigration, border, cyber, and emergency functions — a portfolio-structure analogue to Australia's Department of Home Affairs, though larger and including additional agencies (FEMA, Secret Service).

Regional players

• New Zealand Department of Internal Affairs: NZ government department covering identity, passports, citizenship and community services — a partial functional analogue handling the citizenship/passport functions that sit within the Australian Home Affairs portfolio.
• Germany's Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF): German federal agency responsible for asylum, refugee protection, and migration policy execution. Comparable in mandate to the immigration arm of Home Affairs but operates primarily within a different regional jurisdiction.

Direct peers

• Singapore Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA): Statutory board managing immigration, citizenship, and border checkpoint operations in Singapore. Operates MyICA digital services and biometric immigration clearance — closely comparable to the department's integrated immigration-and-border model.
• U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS): U.S. federal agency administering immigration applications, visa processing, and citizenship services. Closest functional analogue to the Department of Home Affairs' immigration arm, operating ImmiAccount-equivalent online portals (myUSCIS, myEAD).
• Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC): Canadian federal department handling visa processing, permanent residence, citizenship, and refugee resettlement. Runs an online application portal (IRCC Secure Account) directly comparable to ImmiAccount.
• UK Home Office: British ministerial department responsible for immigration, border security, passports, and national security policy. Operates an analogous consolidated portfolio covering visas, border force, and counter-terrorism — directly comparable in scope to Australia's Home Affairs.
• Immigration New Zealand (INZ): New Zealand's immigration service arm, part of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment. Operates similar visa application systems and skilled-migration pathways — a closely comparable direct peer in a neighbouring jurisdiction.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/dibpaustralia
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/department-of-immigration-and-border-protection
• Xx.com/dibpaustralia

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Department of Immigration and Border Protection