Australian community organisations, families and individuals can use the CSP to help people in humanitarian need settle in Australia. Those who do, become an 'Australian supporter'.
Any level of support is welcome. It can include financial or other practical help.
To get involved, you can:
You can give support on your own or cooperate with other supporters.
Assistance
The CSP has appointed
Approved Proposing Organisations (APOs) under the CSP.
If you want to support someone in need, you need to contact an APO.
They can help you if you:
- already know someone you want to support
- want to get matched with someone in need.
APOs will:
Your obligations
You, or other Australian supporters, must:
- fund the CSP applicant's visa process and settlement in Australia, either entirely or together with other individuals, communities or businesses
- provide an Assurance of Support (AoS). See further details at the bottom of this page.
Costs under CSP include:
- visa application charges (see relevant visa page for details)
- airfares
- medical screening
- accommodation
- settlement services.
Upon arrival in Australia
APOs are responsible for ensuring the provision and management of settlement services to entrants in Australia. They must work with the CSP entrant and their Australian supporter.
Clients receive support through an individualised case management approach tailored to their needs, strengths and goals. For the first 12 months, CSP entrants receive settlement support, including some government support. This is similar to other humanitarian visa holders.
This support may include:
- referral to relevant government services (for example, Medicare), but not any working age social security payments recoverable under an AoS – see below
- connections to local community groups and activities
- help to find accommodation
- help to learn English through the Adult Migrant English Program, gain (and remain in) employment, and access to education and training
- orientation to Australia, including our values and laws
- access to translating and interpreting services.
There are also relevant state/territory government support services, for example, health services (including torture and trauma) if clients meet eligibility requirements.
For more details, see
Summary of HSP, CRISP and CSP programs
Once the CSP entrant is in Australia, they can get more information about support services from the APO supporting their settlement in Australia.
An APO may also charge for its services.
We recommend that you contact more than one APO. Costs vary between APOs on their business model and the level of services they offer.
Assurance of Support (AoS)
You must be ready to support the CSP entrant if they cannot work.
This means that you, or another Australian supporter of the person in need, must enter into an AoS legal agreement.
Under the agreement, an assurer agrees to repay the Australian Government. This is relevant to any working age social security payments the government makes to the CSP entrant during their first year in Australia.
For more information, see Community Support Program - Services Australia.
