Fact Sheet 66 – Humanitarian Settlement Services

Australia has a long and proud history of resettling people in humanitarian need and the Australian Government is committed to helping new arrivals become active participants in the community as soon as possible. In recognition that humanitarian clients often face additional challenges to those faced by other migrants, they receive specialised assistance during the initial settlement period.

Initial settlement support

Humanitarian Settlement Services (HSS) provides intensive settlement support, through a coordinated case management approach, to newly-arrived humanitarian clients on arrival and throughout their initial settlement period.

Support through the HSS program is tailored to individual needs, including the specific needs of young people. HSS endeavours to strengthen the ability of humanitarian clients to participate in the economic and social life of Australia and to equip individuals with the skills and knowledge to independently access services beyond the initial settlement period.

Coordinated case management model

Services are provided to clients based on need; therefore, not all clients require all services. HSS providers assess and identify client needs and deliver a tailored package of services to meet those needs.

From 1 July 2012, humanitarian clients who arrived as an Irregular Maritime Arrival (IMA) and formerly held a Bridging visa E for greater than six months are not eligible for all services under HSS.
See: Humanitarian Settlement Services: Reduced Services For Former Bridging Visa E Holders

Case management

Case management overarches all services and coordinates the delivery of services to clients under the program. Case management plans are developed for each single client and family based on a complete needs assessment.

Case management coordinates the delivery of services to clients including airport reception and transit assistance, property induction and initial food provision, assisting clients to register with Centrelink, Medicare, banks, schools and an Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP) provider and assists clients to meet their health needs and attend health assessments.

Case management plans also connect clients with other settlement, community and youth programs. Clients are assisted to participate in their local communities through connection to local social, recreational and sporting organisations.

Accommodation services

The accommodation service provides clients with accommodation upon their arrival in Australia, either in long-term accommodation, or in short-term housing arrangements before sourcing long-term accommodation. Accommodation services may also include the provision of a basic household goods package to help clients to establish their new residence in Australia.

Structured onshore orientation program

The onshore orientation program is available to all clients aged 15 and over and focuses on delivering competency based outcomes. Orientation sessions are tailored to individual client needs and learning capacities, within a National Orientation Framework. The competencies set out critical skills and knowledge clients need to live and function independently in Australian society, and to continue their settlement journey beyond the HSS.
See:
Humanitarian Settlement Services – Onshore Orientation Program Booklet – 2011 ( 814K B PDF file)
Humanitarian Settlement Services – Onshore Orientation Program Brochure – 2011 ( 249K B PDF file)

Completion of services

HSS is focused on humanitarian clients reaching sustainable and measurable settlement outcomes that will stand them in good stead for their settlement journey.

Exit from the HSS program is based on clients achieving clearly defined settlement outcomes. These include:

• residing in long-term accommodation (generally a lease of at least six months in duration)
• being linked to the required services identified in their case management plan
• school age children are enrolled and attending school
• ensuring clients have understood the critical messages of the orientation program and have the skills and knowledge to independently access services.

It is expected these settlement outcomes will generally be reached between 6 to 12 months of the client's arrival.

Client eligibility

Clients holding the following visas are eligible for HSS:

• Refugee category (subclass 200, 201, 203 and 204) visas
• Global Special Humanitarian (subclass 202) visa
• Protection (subclass 866) visa.

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

The department also operates a national general enquiries line.
Telephone: 131 881
Hours of operation: Monday to Friday from 8.30 am to 4.30 pm. Recorded information is available outside these hours.

Fact Sheet 66. Produced by the National Communications Branch, Department of Immigration and Citizenship, Canberra.
Last reviewed May 2012.

© Commonwealth of Australia 2009.