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Airport arrivals under the CRISP program

Community Refugee Integration and Settlement Pilot (CRISP)

The CRISP allows groups of everyday Australians to welcome refugees into their local community and help them from ‘day one’ of their Australian journey.

A new refugee sponsorship program for Australia!

After years of research, advocacy and imagining, Australia finally has a new community refugee sponsorship program, which commenced in mid 2022. The federal government has partnered with CRSA in the design and delivery of the ‘CRISP’ program – the Community Refugee Integration and Settlement Pilot. The program will support 1,500 refugees over four years via help from community groups.

An opportunity to act locally – as part of a growing global movement

The CRISP is inspired by the successful community refugee sponsorship program operating in Canada since the late 1970s, which has enabled more than 325,000 refugees to build a new life in Canada, in addition to those resettled under the government-funded resettlement program. Similar programs are now being implemented in many countries around the world, including the UK, US, NZ and Ireland.

The CRISP program currently draws on visas from within Australia’s overall humanitarian quota. However in 2023, under the Albanese Government, this quota was increased to 20,000 places per annum (previously 13,750 places per annum plus the special Afghan intake of 4,000 places per year for 4 years), partly aided by the new CRISP model. We continue to advocate for community sponsorship programs like CRIPS to become structurally ‘additional’ to the humanitarian intake quota but are pleased that CRISP is now making a contribution to an enlarged government-backed Australian resettlement effort.’ Minister for Immigration Andrew Giles reaffirmed the governments commitment to the principal of additionality, and to expanding community sponsored pathways to 10,000 places per year, in this September 2023 statement made to mark the first anniversary of the CRISP. The Australian Labor Party also has ambitions to also progressively increase the traditional government-led resettlement quota to 27,000 per annum (see ALP National Platform here).

Useful links

How does it work?

A group of five or more adult volunteers (known as a ‘Community Supporter Group’ or ‘CSG’) provide 12 months of practical hands-on support to a refugee household from their date of arrival in Australia. CSGs can be based in a community anywhere in Australia, provided they can demonstrate capacity to provide appropriate support to a refugee household within that community.
Community Refugee Sponsorship Australia (CRSA) approve, train and support CSGs and connect them with a refugee household referred into CRISP.
Refugee participants identified as in urgent need of resettlement by the UNHCR are referred into the CRISP program by the Australian government. They come from a wide variety of countries; most have been waiting to resettle in a safe new country for a long time. Sadly CRSA cannot assist individual refugees who are overseas and wish to come to Australia – for more, please see our FAQs.
Read the CRISP Application Guidebook

Hear from some everyday Australians who have put their hands up to welcome and support refugees to settle in their communities.

What types of support do community supporter groups provide?

Community supporter groups assist refugees with some of their immediate needs on arrival and during their first 12 months in the country. This includes help with:

  • local orientation, including meeting refugees at the airport
  • initial income support (first 1-2 weeks) and temporary accommodation (estimated 4 – 6 weeks)
  • securing long-term housing
  • enrolling children in school
  • registering for Centrelink support
  • registering with other government services and language classes
  • accessing social opportunities and emotional support
  • opening bank accounts
  • learning English
  • using public transport
  • getting a driver’s license
  • finding a job or starting a business

How do I get involved?

Find out more about the program

Make sure this program is right for you by learning more about what’s involved:

Form a group

If you are an individual looking to find others in your area to form a group with, please post your interest on the CRSA Facebook group and check out our 5 tips on forming a group.

Register your group's 'Intention to Apply'

Let us know that your group is intending to submit a more formal application by registering your ‘Intention to Apply.’

Register your group's 'Intention to Apply'

Where is the program active?

If your group is missing, our apologies! Feel free to alert us on media@refugeesponsorship.org.au.

Next steps…

After you register your group’s ‘Intention to Apply’ CRSA will be in touch.

CRISP application form

We’ll send a detailed group application form (including a settlement plan) for you and your group to complete.

All group members will need to provide background checks as part of their application. Read our resource about applying for national police checks and working with children checks.

Invitation to training

We’ll send you an invitation to join our training workshops. If you’d like to plan ahead visit out training page for information about upcoming training dates.

The CRISP is funded by the Australian Government Department of Home Affairs. 

Looking for something else?

If you can't find what you're looking for, try checking CRSA's resources, including our Frequently Asked Questions.

Otherwise, feel free to get in touch with us via our Contact Us page.

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Or express your interest in sponsoring or mentoring refugees in Australia

Community Refugee Sponsorship Australia (CRSA)

© 2021 Community Refugee Sponsorship Australia

We acknowledge the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation, the Wurundjeri and Boon Wurrung peoples of the Eastern Kulin and the Turrbul and Yuggera people as the Traditional Custodians of the unceded land where our offices are situated. We pay our respects to their elders past and present, and honour their history, culture, and continuing connection to country. We acknowledge that sovereignty was never ceded in Australia.