How 'snakeheads' are redirecting illegal migration from China toward Australia

Australia is emerging as an alternative destination in global people smuggling routes involving Chinese nationals, as tougher US border controls push smuggling networks to test new maritime pathways through South-East Asia.

Last week six Chinese nationals who arrived in Australia by sea were found in a remote Indigenous community in Western Australia and detained by border authorities.

WA Police said the group had travelled on an unidentified vessel and was believed to be part of a larger attempt to reach the country by boat.

Similar incidents have been recorded in Western Australia and the Northern Territory over the past year, and migration lawyer Sean Dong says he is seeing an increasing number of attempts by people from China.

"But it is still far from reaching the scale seen in the United States," Mr Dong said.

While Chinese nationals arriving by sea remain rare, the case points to a broader rerouting of irregular migration from China, known as "walking the route", driven by tougher US border controls under the Trump administration.

With fewer legal migration options available, smugglers are using countries in South-East Asia such as Indonesia as transit hubs to probe Australia's maritime frontier.

Local media there have reported a rise in organised smuggling operations targeting Australia via East Nusa Tenggara — south of Sulawesi province.

What is 'walking the route'?

"Walking the route" refers to Chinese nationals using irregular and often dangerous pathways to leave China and reach other countries without legal documents, visas or formal migration channels.

The term first became widely known in China through journeys to the US via Latin America and the Mexico border, but it is now also used to describe attempts to reach Australia by sea.

These journeys are typically organised by people smuggling syndicates, commonly referred to as "snakeheads", who coordinate transport, transit points and illegal border crossings.

While routes and destinations vary, the defining feature is the absence of lawful entry pathways, forcing migrants to rely on smugglers and risky travel.

Chinese authorities have stepped up crackdowns on people smuggling, targeting organisers, dismantling networks and expanding cooperation with foreign governments to curb illegal migration.

Those who have attempted the "route" cited economic pressure since COVID, including business failures, heavy debt or frustration with social or political constraints.

These pressures have driven tens of thousands of Chinese nationals to attempt the dangerous journeys — with more than 37,000 arrested at the US southern border in 2023 alone.

How does the process work — and how much does it cost?

In short, the risks are high at every step.

For most people, the journey starts with a flight out of China to a country where entry rules are easier, before they make contact with a snakehead who promises to take them further.

From there the trip is pieced together in stages — flights, long drives, waiting in transit, and eventually dangerous boat crossings arranged by different operators along the way.

The cost depends on how far someone is trying to go and which route they take, but many end up paying thousands — and sometimes tens of thousands — of dollars.

That financial burden often leaves people deeply reliant on snakeheads, making it harder to turn back once the journey is underway.

Some wealthier clients could be offered fake passports as a way to enter Australia more easily, but it is often avoided because of the high chance of detection or fraud.

There are also widespread scams, with fake snakeheads taking money and then vanishing, or sending people somewhere entirely different from their plan.

What is the process like when travelling via Indonesia?

For many Chinese nationals, Indonesia is the first step because entry is relatively easy, with visas available on arrival.

Chinese passports do not allow the same freedom of travel as Australian passports, and visa applications for many countries are often tied to financial status, making Indonesia one of the most accessible options near Australia.

After flying into cities such as Jakarta or Bali, migrants are usually moved quietly to remote coastal areas, often far from major ports and population centres, according to local media reports.

From there, small fishing boats are used to avoid attention, heading south toward Australia's sparsely populated northern coastline.

Uninhabited islands along the route can be used as temporary stops for rest or concealment, helping smugglers manage the journey in stages.

But the risks are extreme, with rough seas, unsafe vessels and the constant threat of interception by Indonesian or Australian authorities.

Why are these people willing to take the risk?

For many the decision reflects a sense that legal migration options have closed off, rather than confidence in the safety of the journey.

Mr Dong said Australia's reputation for strict border control was not always well understood in China, and in some cases snakeheads might mislead potential customers.

"Most of them [I spoke to] had no idea that it is almost impossible for boat arrivals in Australia to obtain a visa," he said.

Ian Rintoul, spokesperson for the Refugee Action Coalition, told the ABC that many people are unaware of the scale of Operation Sovereign Borders, the policy introduced in 2013 to prevent maritime arrivals of asylum seekers.

"I think some people still believe that there is a general humanitarian reputation in Australia," he said.

Mr Rintoul said Chinese asylum seekers were not unusual in this regard, and often faced the same constraints as others who had attempted irregular journeys.

Many, he said, had no realistic way to migrate legally, either because of poverty or because they were unable to obtain the necessary travel documents.

Others may avoid formal travel channels because they are known to authorities — including political activists or members of persecuted ethnic or religious minorities — leaving few options beyond irregular routes.

"For them, travelling by plane may not be possible."

How snakeheads recruit online

Snakeheads increasingly use social media and encrypted messaging platforms to reach potential clients, often advertising migration "routes" or sharing success stories rather than openly promoting illegal activity.

Posts and videos have appeared on platforms including X, RedNote, Douyin — China's domestic version of TikTok — and Telegram, typically using coded language, emojis or euphemisms to avoid moderation.

Interested users are encouraged to move conversations to encrypted platforms where details about routes, costs and timing are shared.

Authorities in several countries have warned that online recruitment has become one of the main entry points into people smuggling networks.

Mr Dong said unauthorised maritime arrivals intercepted by the Australian Border Force were usually placed in closed detention while awaiting deportation.

"[Legitimate asylum seekers] are generally transferred to an offshore detention facility where they face a lengthy process," he said.

Based on the outcomes of similar cases in the past, some Chinese nationals who arrived by boat were taken to detention facilities on Nauru, while others were sent straight back to China.

In 2017 a people smuggling boat carrying six Chinese nationals landed on Saibai Island in the Torres Strait. 

Five people were returned to China and one was charged with people smuggling.

In 2024, 15 Chinese nationals arrived in a remote part of Kimberley by boat and walked into an air force base.

These people were taken to an offshore detention centre in Nauru for processing.