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Fact Sheet 60a - Proposed changes to the Special Humanitarian Program

The Special Humanitarian Program (SHP) is for people who are subject to substantial discrimination amounting to gross violation of their human rights in their home country, are living outside their home country and have links with Australia.

Applications for SHP visas must be supported by one of the following:

  • an Australian citizen
  • a permanent resident
  • an eligible New Zealand citizen
  • an organisation operating in Australia.

The person or organisation supporting the SHP applicant is called a proposer. SHP proposers help the applicant organise travel to Australia, accommodation and initial orientation in Australia if the applicant is granted an SHP visa.

Recent developments

An Interdepartmental Committee (IDC) on Humanitarian Settlement was convened in April 2006 to agree on a whole-of-government strategy for handling the challenges faced by newly arrived humanitarian entrants. The IDC prepared a report with 36 recommendations to improve the settlement outcomes of humanitarian entrants.

A key recommendation was to strengthen requirements for SHP proposers. This followed concerns that some proposers are not equipped to provide adequate support to entrants, especially those who are relatively new to Australia and who are trying to meet the challenges of settling in a new country.

In October 2006, the department published a discussion paper that explored options for implementing a number of the IDC's recommendations, including strengthening the SHP proposer system. The department also consulted with state and territory governments and held focus group discussions with some key stakeholders in Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney.

After consultations, reforms to the SHP proposer system were announced in the 2007-08 Budget as part of a package of initiatives to improve humanitarian settlement. These included the introduction of new requirements for proposers and the provision of additional targeted assistance to better prepare and support some proposers.

Reforms also included developing improved information for proposers about the SHP, the role and responsibilities of proposers and the support available to proposers and humanitarian entrants.

These initiatives are intended to support proposers as much as possible and to ensure they are able to help the people they propose. They would also mean early steps could be taken to link proposers to information and available services, thereby contributing to better settlement outcomes for SHP entrants.

Further details

Further details on these reforms are currently under review and will be advised as soon as possible.

 

Further information is available on the department's web site.
See: www.immi.gov.au

The department also operates a national telephone service inquiry line.
Telephone: 131 881
Hours of operation: Monday to Friday from 9am to 4pm (recorded information available outside these hours) for the cost of a local call anywhere in Australia.

Fact Sheet 60a. Produced by the National Communications Branch, Department of Immigration and Citizenship, Canberra.
Revised 6 May 2008.

© Commonwealth of Australia 2008.