Submission for Australia’s Humanitarian Program 2025-26

by | Aug 14, 2025 | 0 comments | Posted to: Publications, Updates | Tags: , ,

This submission is made in response to the Discussion Paper published by the Department of Home Affairs in connection with Australia’s Humanitarian Program 2025-26, with particular focus on questions 3 and 4. It also contains proposals to advance the Albanese government’s stated ambition to further support global resettlement efforts with a commitment to
gradually increase community sponsored and other complementary places to 10,000 per year over time,
additional to the core humanitarian intake (as per the Australian government’s pledge at the Global Refugee
Forum in December 2023).

Summary of Recommendations for the 2025–26 Humanitarian Program

1. Reforming the Community Support Program (CSP):
CRSA recommends a pause on further CSP applications until transparent and timely processing is in place for those already submitted. The Department should engage with the proposed Draft Program Framework for a New Approach to ‘Named’ Community Sponsorship (2024), which includes:

  • Involvement of the broader community via a ‘group of 5’ model.
  • More flexible eligibility criteria.
  • Annual quotas managed by approved intermediaries.
  • Government oversight of any fees charged.

The convening of an advisory group (including CRSA and other stakeholders) is suggested as a first step.

2. The Role of Community in Humanitarian Emergencies:
CRSA recommends adapting the community sponsorship model (via CRISP) for emergency response by:

  • Developing ‘Emergency Response’ settings within CRISP.
  • Piloting small-scale program adjustments (e.g. alternative referral pathways, rapid mobilisation).
  • Establishing a framework for policy, operational, and funding readiness during crises, either independently or within a broader Emergency Protection Framework.

3. Expanding Community Sponsorship and Complementary Pathways:
To achieve the government’s pledge of 10,000 additional places annually:

  • Work with the Complementary Pathways Coordination Group to implement the Vision and Roadmap to Achieve 10,000 Complementary Places.
  • Ensure the CRISP and a reformed ‘named’ sponsorship program are additional to the 20,000 annual humanitarian intake, with an annual quota of 5,000 community sponsorship places.
  • Broaden CRISP referral sources beyond UNHCR, including trusted LGBTIQA+ and special interest groups.
  • Use the CRISP model to support other complementary pathways (e.g. labour, education), with centralised training and support for all supporter groups.

Read CRSA’s full submission via the link below.

View .pdf

Download: Submission for Australias Humanitarian Program 202526.pdf (301KB)