More than 8,700 Tuvaluans applied for a new Australian visa in 2025, that’s a third of their global population.
280 visas were granted and successful applicants have started making their way to Australia.
As rising seas threaten the low-lying Pacific nation, families are faced with an agonising choice between opportunity and home.
In this special episode, The Pacific travels to Tuvalu to explore the impacts of the visa and talks to locals who reject the label of "climate migrants", insisting they are moving for their children's futures - not abandoning their country.
Reporter/producer: Jordan Fennell
Camera/producer: Alice Lolohea
This reporting was supported by the Sean Dorney Grant for Pacific Journalism through the Walkley Public Fund.
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