Department of Immigration explained

Agency Name:	Department of Immigration
Formed:	13 July 1945
Preceding1:	Department of the Interior (II)
Dissolved:	12 June 1974
Superseding:	Department of Labor and Immigration – for immigration Department of Foreign Affairs – for visa functions
Jurisdiction:	Commonwealth of Australia
Type:	Department
Chief1 Name:	Tasman Heyes
Chief1 Position:	Secretary (1946–1961)
Chief2 Name:	Peter Heydon
Chief2 Position:	Secretary (1961–1971)
Chief3 Name:	Bob Armstrong
Chief3 Position:	Secretary (1971–1974)

The Department of Immigration was an Australian government department that existed between July 1945 and June 1974.

Scope

Information about the department's functions and government funding allocation could be found in the Administrative Arrangements Orders, the annual Portfolio Budget Statements and in the Department's annual reports.

At its creation, the Department's functions were:

• Admission of contract immigrants
• Deportation and Registration of Aliens
• Emigration of Children and Aboriginals
• Encouraged migration
• Immigration
• Indentured coloured labor
• Nationality and Naturalization
• Passports
• Publication of Newspapers in foreign languages
• Repatriation of destitute Australians

Structure

The Department was a Commonwealth Public Service department, staffed by officials who were responsible to the Minister for Immigration.