Over 4,000 Tuvaluans, more than a third of the population, applied for a new Australian visa designed to help those displaced by rising sea levels. The scheme, offering 280 permanent residency spots, is a response to Tuvalu's vulnerability to climate change, with projections indicating much of the nation will be underwater by 2100. The visa is part of a broader agreement between Australia and Tuvalu, securing Tuvalu's sovereignty even if its land is lost. This contrasts sharply with the Trump administration's stricter immigration policies.

Prepared by Rachel Morgan and reviewed by editorial team.