The Refugee Council of Australia welcomes the announcement today that the Community Refugee Integration and Settlement Pilot (CRISP) will now be made a permanent part of Australia’s humanitarian migration program with 200 places offered by the government from mid-2026 when the initial pilot is completed.
Under the CRISP pilot, which began in 2022, community groups have been able to sponsor refugees, nominated by the UNHCR, to come to Australia. The success of this pilot has seen hundreds of refugees able to start a new life here with the support of ordinary Australians, who provide a range of support during the first 12 months and help those newly arrived to settle successfully.
The CRISP has been one of a number of programs Australia offers, along with skilled and student pilots, to enable ordinary Australians and businesses to contribute to global protection for refugees beyond the core refugee resettlement program. Ordinary Australians have given generously both with time and resources to ensure the success of these pilots.
Evidence has also demonstrated that refugees coming through the CRISP are more likely to settle in rural and regional areas, and have been found to move into employment quickly and continue with English classes, aided in their first 12 months by a group of volunteers who are embedded in local communities.
“The success of the CRISP pilot is a testament to the power of community-driven support in the resettlement process. By enabling local communities to play an active role in welcoming refugees, the CRISP not only ensures a smoother transition but also fosters a sense of local belonging and connection. This is a critical step in creating a more inclusive and compassionate Australia,” said Dr Louise Olliff, Senior Policy Advisor, Refugee Council of Australia.
While the Australian Government has committed to increase community sponsorship in the future, the Refugee Council calls on the government to ensure any places granted through private sponsorship are additional to the humanitarian program and do not take places away from government supported places.
“If the community is willing to step in and fundraise to bring people here and help them settle, these places must add to global protection, not supplant refugee resettlement places the government was already planning to fund. We know from community feedback that more Australians will be motivated to become involved in community sponsorship if their financial and practical contributions add to Australia’s collective support of people who have been forcibly displaced by persecution and conflict.”