“Here we are safe. We are surrounded with good people. The whole group – they have become like family.”
“We were all motivated by the desire to help a family settle in Australia. We all thought it was important to be kind to other people and help them as best we could.”
“From the first day, everyone smile, smile,smile!”
“ I thought the whole community would wrap around a refugee household with love and support.”
“It’s a privilege for us to be part of it, meeting people who have been through some stuff we can’t even imagine.”
“Now we live in Australia, we feel like it’s home – it’s amazing!”
Do you want to help a refugee newcomer in a practical and meaningful way?
Australians across the country now have the opportunity to welcome and support refugee families or individuals into their local communities through community sponsorship.
The Community Refugee Integration and Settlement Program (CRISP) enables a local group of five or more people to help settle a refugee household from their first day in Australia.
Our team screens and trains local groups prior to matching them with a refugee household that has been identified for resettlement in Australia by the UNHCR and then supports participants throughout the journey.
How do I get involved?
Inspired by ABC’s Australian Story? Discover how ordinary Australians are stepping up to welcome and support refugee households building a new life in safety here through community sponsorship – and how you can too.
Image Credit: The Australian Women’s Weekly and photographer Alana Landsberry
Individuals
You don’t need to have an established local group to start taking the first steps. Register to attend an information session, or sign up to receive updates about our work.
Groups
Whether your group is still forming or you’re ready to get started now, submit an Intention to Welcome (ITW) and we’ll be in touch with next steps.
Organisations
There are a range of ways organisations can play a role. This might involve promoting the CRISP to your members, helping with local logistics, fundraising or other activities. If you want to learn more please get in touch.
Groups around Australia are welcoming newcomers into their local communities
Why Community Sponsorship?
Newcomers benefit from a strong personal network of people to help them find their feet in a new community. Local supporter groups develop new networks and relationships by coming together to pursue a powerful shared purpose. All benefit from learning more about one another and our unique stories and histories.
Community sponsorship can enrich civic life, foster social cohesion and economic independence of humanitarian migrants.
1200+
Refugee Newcomers
Since 2020 our organisation’s programs have supported more than 1200 refugee newcomers to settle and integrate into Australia.
2000+
Local Group Members
Groups comprising of more than 2000 individual community members have been mobilised and trained to provide settlement support through our programs.
20+
Countries of Origin
UNHCR-referred refugees welcomed in metropolitan and regional locations in all states and territories from 20+ different countries of origin
Latest Stories & Updates
Community sponsorship featured as a tool to build social cohesion in Royal Commission hearings
25/08/2026 · By CRSA
ABC: Everyday Australians help refugees feel at home
17/08/2026 · By CRSA
‘Sky’s the Limit’: The Australian Story Episode Showing the Power of Community Sponsorship
21/07/2026 · By CRSA
ABC: Innovative program sparks unexpected friendships between Jewish volunteers and Muslim refugees
12/07/2026 · By CRSA
ABC: Couple welcomes refugees to home ‘like family’ in resettlement program
06/07/2026 · By CRSA
VIDEO: Choose welcome, change lives, including yours
02/07/2026 · By CRSAWho are we?
Community Refugee Sponsorship Australia (CRSA) is an independent Australian charity established in 2021. We aim to empower Australians to welcome refugees, building pathways to safety, belonging and stronger communities.
Frequently Asked Questions
I am a refugee seeking assistance, how can I find out more?
Unfortunately, CRSA is not currently able to respond to requests for sponsorship from refugees living overseas looking to migrate to Australia.
For refugees seeking more information on the CRISP:
The Community Refugee Integration and Settlement Program (CRISP) is implemented by CRSA in partnership with the Australian government. To participate in the CRISP, refugee participants must be registered by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR, see UNHCR contact details) and referred to Australia for resettlement by the UNHCR. The Australian government then selects refugees into the CRISP.
CRSA is not involved in and cannot assist with selecting or referring refugees into the CRISP.
For refugees seeking more information on other visa pathways:
Please note that if you know someone in Australia who would like to sponsor you, the current pathway for this is through the ‘Special Humanitarian Program’ (SHP) or the ‘Community Support Program’ (CSP). CRSA is not involved in the administration of the SHP or CSP programs. Both programs are oversubscribed with long wait times.
You may also wish to consider exploring the Talent Beyond Boundaries – Skilled Refugee Labour Agreement Pilot or the Refugee Student Settlement Pathway (noting that intakes have closed for 2026).
You may also wish to consult a migration agent about other visa pathways (eg skilled, family etc), but please ensure you only pay for advice from a Registered Migration Agent.
Be careful not to engage individuals or organisations who are not registered with the Australian authorities.
Further details of these programs and the different pathways for refugees and other displaced persons to come to Australia can be found on the Refugee Council of Australia’s website.
Is CRSA a charity?
I’d like to make a donation to CRSA. How do I do this?
Thank you! CRSA is a registered Australian charity with tax-deductible gift recipient (DGR) status, so all gifts over $2 are tax deductible. Please head to our donations page – thank you so much for your support.
If you would like to donate to a specific Community Supporter Group who is currently fundraising, you can view a list of groups with open fundraisers pages on the GiveNow platform at https://donate.refugeesponsorship.org.au/groups-preparing-to-welcome/fundraisers.
I live in Australia, how can I help welcome and support refugees?
If you’re interested in being involved in community sponsorship or finding out more, we recommend attending a CRISP Information Session.
You can also find out more by visiting the CRISP page on our website.
If there’s another way you or your organisation would like to be involved, please reach out to community@refugeesponsorship.org.au.
What is a 'CSG'?
Community Supporter Groups (CSGs) are made up of five or more adult volunteers, who can be based in a community anywhere in Australia, provided they can demonstrate capacity to provide appropriate support to a refugee household settling within or near to that community.
At the core of community refugee sponsorship models around the world is an understanding of CSGs as independent, self-directed, self-governed and trusted local knowledge holders.
CSGs are made up of friends, family, neighbours and colleagues – basically any group of Australians who would like to welcome and support refugee newcomers. Some groups are attached to a local organisation such as a school, club or church, while others consist of individuals who have been connected for the purpose of this program.
Are there any avenues for me to sponsor refugee students or workers?
If you know a refugee with a good level of English and you know an Australian employer willing to sponsor them for a skilled visa in Australia, you may be able to sponsor them through the Skilled Refugee Labour Agreement Pilot. Please check out the details of the program here and get in touch with a member of our team if you would like to explore this further at: workandwelcome@refugeesponsorship.org.au
If you know a refugee with a high level of English (appropriate for tertiary education in Australia), you could suggest that they contact Skill Path Australia about the Refugee Student Settlement Pathway (RSSP).
Finally, you should consider consulting a migration agent about other visa pathways but make sure they are a Registered Migration Agent.
Sign up to receive updates
Or stay connected by letting us know how you’d like to be involved.