Overview of the AMEP

The AMEP is the Australian Government's largest settlement program. It has been administered by the Department of Immigration and Citizenship or its predecessor departments since 1948.

The program reflects the government's commitment to long-term sustainable settlement outcomes for newly arrived migrants through integrated, targeted and well designed programs that support clients in their transition to life in Australia. Gaining English language proficiency is key to successfully settling in Australia.

The Immigration (Education) Act 1971 (the Act) and the Immigration (Education) Regulations 1992 provide the legislative basis for the AMEP. The program supports the government's social inclusion agenda through the provision of free settlement focused English courses for eligible migrants and humanitarian entrants who do not have functional English.

The AMEP complements the department's Australian Cultural Orientation (AUSCO) and Humanitarian Settlement Service (HSS) orientation programs.

The AMEP is available to eligible migrants, from the humanitarian, family and skilled visa streams. The number of hours of free English courses offered depends on the individual client's circumstances. All AMEP clients have access to up to 510 hours of English courses for five years from their visa commencement date or the number of hours it takes to reach functional English (whichever comes first).

In recognition of the special needs of humanitarian entrants with limited education or difficult pre-migration experiences, such as torture or trauma, between 100 and 400 additional hours of tuition may be offered through the Special Preparatory Program (SPP).

Additional tuition is available to assist AMEP clients to gain familiarity with Australian workplace culture and practices through the Settlement Language Pathways to Employment and Training (SLPET) program. By offering a combination of vocational-specific English courses, work experience and mentoring, the program helps AMEP clients make the transition into the workforce or vocational training.

The program provides a counselling and referral service to ensure clients are able to maximise the outcomes of their AMEP study throughout the program and to take advantage of post-AMEP learning options. This includes the preparation of Individual Pathway Guides (IPGs) for each new client.

To support the program, the department also provides free childcare if necessary, to enable AMEP clients with children under school age to attend AMEP classes.

How do eligible migrants enrol in the AMEP?

Eligible migrants may be referred to the AMEP by their sponsor, settlement provider or Centrelink. Clients may also hear about the program and contact enrolment centres themselves.

Migrants should register for classes within six months of the date their visa commences and start classes within one year. Clients are provided with five years to complete classes. These timeframes will only be extended in certain circumstances.

How is the AMEP delivered?

The AMEP contracts for 2011–2014 are administered through one Distance Learning contract and 26 contract regions in over 250 locations throughout Australia.

Clients may choose from the following range of learning options:

• full or part-time classroom tuition
• by distance learning for clients to learn at home, with curriculum materials specifically designed for out-of-classroom learning, supported by regular telephone contact with a qualified teacher
• the Home Tutor Scheme which provides language assistance by a trained volunteer, usually on a one-to-one basis, in the client's home.

AMEP courses are available to eligible migrants in rural and regional areas as well as in all major cities.

Further information

See: Fact Sheet 94 – English Classes for Permanent Adult Migrants in Australia