The war in the Middle East has triggered plans to tighten Australia’s immigration laws, aimed at preventing tourists claiming asylum once they enter the country.

Proposed reforms would give the government the power to stop a group of travellers using their temporary visas, if a change in global circumstances meant they would likely try to stay in Australia once their visa ends.

If passed through parliament, the move would mean people who had already been granted a tourist visa could be blocked from entering Australia, if the government was concerned they would seek asylum.

The overhaul was introduced shortly after five humanitarian visas were given to members of the Iranian women’s soccer team, who feared persecution in their home country after refusing to sing their national anthem before an Asia Cup match in Australia.

The Lionesses’ team captain Zahra Ghanbari and players Fatemeh Pasandideh, Zahra Sarbali Alishah, Atefeh Ramezanizadeh and Mona Hamoudi have taken up the government’s offer of safe haven.

They are being kept safe by Australian Federal Police, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said.

They escaped their Iranian handlers while staying at a hotel on the Gold Coast and were moved to a safe house on Monday night, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said.

Once the women’s applications had been signed off there were celebrations and an outbreak of “Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, oi, oi, oi”, Burke said.

“These women are great athletes, great people, and they’re going to feel very much at home in Australia.”

The rest of the squad were still with their Iranian handlers, he said.

On Tuesday, Assistant Citizenship and Customs Minister Julian Hill introduced changes to parliament that would allow the government to respond rapidly to evolving global circumstances like wars.

“The migration system must be able to respond quickly and at scale to events where it may be necessary to limit travel to Australia on a temporary basis,” he told parliament.

A “class or classes” of foreign citizens could be blocked from entering Australia if the government believes they may remain in the country after their visa expires, or they would never have had their visa approved under the new global circumstances, Hill said.

Exemptions will apply for parents of children in Australia, the immediate family of Australian citizens or permanent residents, refugees, and other “compelling or compassionate” cases.

The government is concerned large numbers of Iranians who already have Australian tourist visas and other temporary visas could seek asylum here now their country is under American and Israeli attack, a Labor source said.

The legislation aims to stop people who could seek asylum ever coming to Australia, rather than expelling them from the country once they’re here.

Opposition foreign affairs spokesman Ted O’Brien said his party supported the legislation in principle, but wanted to see more detail at a parliamentary inquiry on Tuesday night.

Labor hopes to get the changes through parliament by the end of the week, but will need the support of either the coalition or the Greens to do so.

-AAP