Settlement services: the programs and who they are for
The Department of Home Affairs funds several settlement programs, each with its own rules about visas, timing and need. Australian citizens aren’t eligible for the three main ones: the Humanitarian Settlement Program, its Specialised and Intensive Services, and the SETS program.
Dotto is not a registered migration agent or lawyer, does not give immigration assistance or advice, and does not refer anyone to an agent. This is general information, not advice. Home Affairs’ settling in Australia pages have the final word on each program’s rules.
- Gate
- 04
- Programs here
- HSP, SIS, SETS, YTS, community hubs
- Not for
- Australian citizens (HSP, SIS, SETS)
Seat 4AThe programs, side by side
| Program | Who it is for | What it offers |
|---|---|---|
| Humanitarian Settlement Program (HSP) | Holders of Refugee visas (subclasses 200, 201, 203 and 204) and the Global Special Humanitarian visa (subclass 202), on arrival | Case management during first settlement: help to learn English, find work and study, find somewhere to live, and get to know Australia |
| Specialised and Intensive Services (SIS) | Humanitarian entrants and some other visa holders with complex needs, referred within set time limits | Short-term support, generally up to six months, to reach mainstream services and build the skills to manage independently |
| Settlement Engagement and Transition Support (SETS) | Humanitarian entrants, other eligible permanent migrants and their communities | Settlement information, advice, advocacy and help to use mainstream services |
| Youth Transition Support (YTS) | Young humanitarian entrants and eligible migrants aged 15 to 25 | Help with work, education and vocational skills, and social connection through sport |
| National Community Hubs Program | Refugees, migrants and humanitarian entrants, with a focus on women and their families | Hubs based in primary schools that connect families with each other, their community and support services |
Two more services sit alongside these. The Adult Migrant English Program gives free English tuition to eligible migrants and humanitarian entrants, with free childcare for children under school age at face-to-face classes; its rules are on Home Affairs’ AMEP pages. And interpreting and free document translation are covered in Gate 03: the Free Translating Service.
Seat 4BThe Humanitarian Settlement Program
The HSP supports humanitarian entrants and other eligible visa holders through their first settlement, with a strong focus on learning English, finding work and getting into education and training. Each client gets case management built around their needs, strengths and goals. Home Affairs lists the kinds of support it may include:
- being met at the airport
- short-term accommodation, then help to find somewhere long-term
- referrals to mainstream and specialist services
- connections to local community groups and activities
- help to learn English, find work and get into education and training
- an orientation to Australia, including its values and laws
Most clients leave the program after six to 18 months of support. One exception on arrival: people granted a subclass 202 visa under the Community Support Program get settlement services from their Approved Proposing Organisation instead. HSP providers are listed on Home Affairs’ service providers page.
Seat 4CWhen needs are complex: SIS
Specialised and Intensive Services are part of the HSP, delivered by HSP providers for the department. They are open to holders of refugee and humanitarian visas, and to holders of some partner, child and other visas who also have low English proficiency and come from a refugee-like background.
To be accepted, a person must be unable to engage with the right supports on their own and face multiple, complex barriers. Home Affairs’ examples include disability, serious health or mental health needs, unstable housing, domestic and family violence, financial hardship and legal issues.
The time limit
For most visas on the list, the referral must be made within 5 years. For some visas the 5 years count from arrival in Australia, for others from the grant of the visa, and the Partner (Migrant) and Partner (Permanent) visas have starting points of their own; Home Affairs’ SIS page lists which is which.
How a referral works
- Someone completes the online SIS referral form. A paper version can be requested by email from the department, through the SIS page.
- The department assesses eligibility and tells the person who made the referral.
- An HSP provider is engaged to deliver the services if the person is eligible.
Home Affairs’ page is headed “refer yourself or someone you know”, so a referral can come from the person themselves.
Seat 4DSETS, for the years after arrival
SETS fills a gap after arrival for eligible clients who don’t have family or community supports to rely on, and it sits alongside the HSP. It can be one-to-one case management, group sessions or work with whole communities. The current grant period runs from 1 July 2024 to 30 June 2027, and 102 lead providers across Australia are funded to deliver it in that period.
Providers are asked to put these groups first, among others:
- people who first arrived in Australia less than 5 years ago
- people who need urgent help, including with emergency health and wellbeing issues or family and domestic violence
- people who need one-off or short-term support through a big life change
- dependants, often women, who put their family’s needs first and delayed using settlement services themselves
- older migrants, and people who arrived young, have been here more than 5 years and develop issues as they grow older
Providers can also help people outside these groups, depending on need, budget and the program’s outcomes. Home Affairs’ list of SETS locations sorts providers by state and territory.
Seat 4EYoung people and families
Youth Transition Support is for young people aged 15 to 25 who are humanitarian entrants or eligible migrants. Its services aim to get them into work and education, strengthen their vocational skills, and build friendships and confidence through sport. The department funds them to 30 June 2027.
Community hubs are welcoming spaces based in primary schools. Their four priorities are engaging and connecting families, preparing children for school, building English skills, and building pathways to volunteering and work. Home Affairs says there are currently 100 government-funded hubs in New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and South Australia, with funding to grow to 125 nationally, including Tasmania and the Northern Territory. The hubs are listed on Community Hubs Australia’s website.
For everyday settling-in information, Home Affairs points to the MyAus App, which is available in multiple languages.