Non-citizen women and visa cancellation: the role of gender in Australia’s current deportation regime under s 501

This article examines the experiences of women affected by the mandatory cancellation of their s 501 visas through statistical and empirical data. From such data, it emerges that there are lower numbers of mandatory visa cancellations involving women than men and in general the process is more lenient towards women. Three key themes are analysed in more detailed: reflection on offending types; blurring of victim-offender status; and primary carer’s role. All three are indicative of wider structural gendered inequalities and embedded patriarchal constraints of the visa cancellation apparatus. Analysing deportation under the s 501 regime through a gendered lens reveals the differential processes of inclusion and exclusion affecting non-citizen women in Australia. This perspective highlights how gender intersects with immigration policies, shaping the experiences and vulnerabilities of these women in ways that differ from their male counterparts. This evaluative framework reflects longstanding biases that prioritise the contributions of these women to the nation over their intrinsic rights and identities. Indeed, it is argued that non-citizen women in Australia continue to be assessed through a historical lens of coloniality, primarily focusing on their perceived loyalty, utility, and societal function.