In an address to the National Press Club today, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke announced plans for a redesigned skilled migration points test, giving greater priority to occupations in areas such as construction, healthcare, teaching, agriculture and trades.

Activate Australia’s Skills Campaign Director Dane Moores welcomed the government’s focus on addressing workforce shortages but said attracting the skills Australia needs is only half the equation.

“Skilled migration has an important role to play in addressing workforce shortages, but selecting the right people is only half the answer. We also need to make sure people can actually use those skills once they get here,” Mr Moores said.

“Alongside a strong skilled migration program, we need to make Australia’s skills and qualifications recognition system faster, fairer and more affordable, so qualified migrants can get into the jobs we need them in sooner.

“Right now, Australia is wasting migrant talent at an industrial scale. Almost half of permanent migrants are working below their skill level, while businesses and essential services are crying out for workers.

“This includes more than 1,000 plumbers and 1,300 electricians who are driving Ubers and stacking shelves instead of helping build the homes Australia desperately needs.

“It’s a no-brainer to pair these migration reforms with reform of Australia’s skills recognition system. The two need to go hand-in-hand if we want to maximise the contribution of new skilled migrants and unlock the skills of people already here.”

Minister Burke also announced plans to ensure the skilled migration program supports priority processing for a range of key sectors, including healthcare, construction, education, law enforcement, defence, resources and agriculture.

“These priorities occupations overlap with professions where Australia already has thousands of qualified migrants whose skills are going to waste, including over 20,000 qualified teachers, 16,000 nurses and 5,000 psychologists,” Mr Moores said.

“Australia invited these people here, but too often our systems stop them from contributing at their full potential due to barriers unrelated to their skills, like excessive fees, slow processes, a lack of information and maze of bureaucracy. We cannot keep repeating that cycle.

“If we are going to recruit skilled workers from overseas, we need to make sure the pathway from migration to employment actually works, while upholding the high standards Australians expect.”

Mr Moores said the federal government committed in the May budget to consult on a skills recognition commissioner to oversee and continually improve the system – a solution supported by close to 140 businesses, civil society groups and unions.

“A national skills recognition commissioner would be a game changer. Whatever your view on migration numbers, there should be common ground that migrants already here – and those Australia chooses to bring here in future – should be able to use their skills and qualifications if they meet Australian standards.

“A skills recognition commissioner would provide independent oversight, shine a light on excessive costs and delays, and drive continuous improvement across the system. That means more nurses in hospitals, more teachers in classrooms, more tradies building homes and more skilled workers helping businesses grow.

“We understand that consultation on the Skills Recognition Commissioner is expected to begin  next year. We encourage the government to commence this work sooner rather than later, so that no further time is lost. Every week and every month of delay means more skilled people missing out on the opportunity to work at their full capability.

“Skilled migration reform and skills recognition reform need to move together.”

The Activate Australia’s Skills campaign is calling for key skills recognition reforms:

• Establish one national governance system for all overseas skills and qualifications recognition, including a Commissioner with regulatory power to provide independent oversight and transparency.
• Create a more joined-up system that links skills recognition for migration purposes with licensing and accreditation for employment purposes.
• Provide financial support for individuals to remove cost barriers and an online portal with all the information so people know what they need to do.
• Set up Career Gateway Hubs with skills recognition navigators to guide people through the skills recognition process and get them working in their professions again.

Activate Australia’s Skills is convened by SSI.

SSI CEO Violet Roumeliotis said Australia needs a more mature conversation about migration, grounded in evidence and honest about the consequences and trade-offs, because the stakes are too high to get it wrong.  

“Before we debate how big or small the migration program should be, we need to ask a much more important question: what do we want our migration system to achieve for Australia?” she said.  

“To build a migration system that works for all Australians, we need to bring together voices from across Australian society at a National Migration Summit, put the evidence and trade-offs on the table, and develop a long-term roadmap for Australia’s migration system.” 

Ms Roumeliotis said more than 40 organisations have joined SSI’s call for a National Migration Summit, including leading peak bodies such as the Minerals Council of Australia, Tech Council of Australia, Council of Small Business Organisations Australia, Regional Australia Institute and the Australian Restaurant and Café Association 

“When organisations representing business, regional Australia, multicultural communities, settlement services and social services all agree that the conversation needs to change, government should take notice.” 

Ms Roumeliotis said proposals to dramatically cut migration would have real consequences for Australians that political leaders need to be upfront about – from deepening skills shortages and worsening waiting lists to delaying construction and weakening economic growth. 

“Australians deserve an honest conversation about the trade-offs from drastically cutting migration. Any proposal to significantly reduce migration without being upfront about what cuts of this scale would mean for Australians, our standard of living and our economy is not telling the full story.“ 

“Australians are right to be concerned about housing affordability, infrastructure pressures and access to services. These are legitimate concerns that deserve serious answers. 

“But cutting migration does not build a single home, add a train service or create a hospital bed. Those challenges require housing, infrastructure and workforce solutions.” 

Ms Roumeliotis said the latest proposal also demonstrated the risks of designing migration policy around headline numbers without considering how the system needs to work in practice. 

“Reducing bridging visas, for example, might sound sensible in theory, but these visas have also enabled Australia to respond when extraordinary events unfold overseas. 

“When Russia invaded Ukraine and when the Taliban seized control of Kabul, Australia needed flexibility in its migration system to respond quickly to people facing humanitarian crises. 

“A migration system designed solely around reducing numbers risks becoming too rigid to respond when the world changes.” 

Join our call for action and sign up your organisation here. 

SSI CEO Violet Roumeliotis said the reported decision comes as record numbers of people around the world are displaced by conflict, persecution and humanitarian crises, while settlement places globally are drastically shrinking.

“At a time when the world faces one of the largest displacement crises in human history, Australia should be stepping up, not stepping back,” she said

“Labor has repeatedly articulated an aspiration to increase Australia’s humanitarian intake to 27,000 places a year. Instead, we are seeing a reduction of more than 30 per cent. This is not simply a failure to meet an aspiration. It is a backflip whose impact will fall on the world’s most vulnerable.”

The Australian Labor Party’s platform taken to the 2025 national conference sets out an aspiration to progressively increasing Australia’s government-funded humanitarian intake to 27,000 places annually.

“Australians were promised a stronger humanitarian response. What has been proposed is the exact opposite,” said Ms Roumeliotis.

“The consequence of this decision is not abstract. It means thousands of refugees fleeing persecution will not have access to one of the few durable solutions available through refugee resettlement.

“These changes are being made under the guise of reducing overseas net migration, but the actual impact on migration numbers is marginal at best. This decision is shutting out people who most need to come to Australia.”

The reported reduction follows growing international pressure on refugee resettlement pathways given the United States withdrawing from longstanding refugee settlement commitments, which has already drastically reduced the number of places available globally.

“We should not be taking cues from governments that are retreating from their humanitarian obligations,” she said.

“Australia has a proud history of providing protection to people fleeing conflict and persecution, and a refugee settlement program that has long been regarded as among the best in the world.”

According to the latest data from the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), approximately 117.8 million people worldwide were forcibly displaced by the end of 2025, including more than 41 million refugees and people in need of international protection. Despite this unprecedented level of global need, the number of refugees resettled through official pathways has fallen sharply.

“These figures should be a call to action. Instead, Australia is choosing to shirk its responsibility.”

SSI has consistently called for Australia to increase its humanitarian intake to 27,000 places and to maintain a strong, predictable and generous refugee resettlement program that reflects both community expectations and Australia’s international responsibilities.

“Australia is a stronger, more prosperous and more cohesive nation because generations of refugees have been welcomed here. Now is not the time to close the door to safety.”

Ms Roumeliotis said Australia’s refugee resettlement sector has shown time and again a willingness and capacity to do its part to help the world’s most vulnerable.

“We demonstrated this in 2016 with the successful resettlement of the one-off intake of an additional 12,000 refugees from Iraq and Syria, and then again in 2021, when we had less than 72 hours to prepare for refugees fleeing the Taliban’s rapid takeover of Afghanistan.

“We are agile, resourceful, and ready to do our part to support both people fleeing war and persecution and our government as it works to resettle this cohort. All we’re asking the government to do is open the door.”

Updated SSI statement: Prime Minister reaffirms Australia’s humanitarian leadership

Daisha, whose sings powerful and soulful ballads, will perform at SSI’s World of Cultures festival, a free multicultural arts celebration on August 29, from 3pm to 7pm at the iconic Kingston Butter Factory.

Daisha, born and raised in Logan, said she wanted young Indigenous and culturally diverse people to see themselves represented on the World of Cultures stage.

“We’re allowed to be on these stages, we are allowed to be in these spaces,” she said.

Run by non-profit organisation SSI as part of Queensland Multicultural Month, World of Cultures offers a family-friendly, immersive cultural experience in the heart of one of Australia’s most multicultural cities.

Now in its fifth year, Rose Vearing, World of Cultures organiser and Head of Community Wellbeing and Health at SSI, said she was proud of how the festival had grown alongside Logan itself.

“World of Cultures reflects the very best of Logan, a city where diversity doesn’t just get celebrated, it drives creativity, connection, belonging and opportunity. The festival gives communities a space to share their culture with pride and invites everyone to experience the richness of the world right here in Logan.”

The atmospheric festival showcases culturally and linguistically diverse local artists, musicians, food vendors and market stallholders through a live outdoor stage, artisan stalls, a cultural fashion show, roving performers and children’s activities.

At the heart of the festival is a focus on giving back to the community that creates it and building opportunities for migrant and refugee creatives to reach a wider audience.

“Every year we invest in local performers, artists, cultural groups, market stallholders and food vendors, giving people the chance to showcase their talents, share their stories and generate real economic benefit,” Ms Vearing said.

World of Cultures is proudly held on Yagara and Yugambeh Lands. 

More information and register for the free event here.

SSI’s new submission Shaping the future of Employment Services, in response to the government’s Employment Services Discussion Paper, commends the government’s intention to ensure employment support goes beyond one size fits all and emphasised the importance of tailoring supports for the full diversity of modern Australia. 

As noted in the Government’s Rebuilding Employment Services report in 2024, specialist employment services that tailor their support to the diverse needs of Australian communities deliver better outcomes for jobseekers. 

SSI’s Executive General Manager Service Delivery Eric Harper said that without this tailored support, jobseekers from refugee and migrant backgrounds could miss out. 

“We know from experience, which is actually backed by data, that specialist services help participants achieve job readiness sooner, and get into jobs more quickly, than generalist support. 

“The redesign provides an important opportunity to embed specialist services for people who face barriers that mainstream employment services are not always equipped to address.” 

Mr Harper said SSI’s submission focuses on the need for an employment services system designed for the reality that Australia is one of the most culturally diverse countries in the world. 

“Jobseekers from these diverse backgrounds face particular employment barriers, such as limited local networks and experience, adjusting to different recruitment processes and difficulty conveying their skills to employers. 

“Our experience across employment and settlement shows people make the most progress when support is strengths-based, culturally safe and trauma-informed, when it’s practical and connected to employers, and when it continues beyond someone starting a job,” said Mr Harper. 

Mr Harper welcomed the government’s recognition of the need for tailored support.  

“The opportunity now is to translate that principle into the design of the new system, with specialist capability, participant choice and the right intensity of support built in from the outset. That means clear assessment and referral pathways, participant choice, continuity of support and funding that reflects the real cost of delivering high-quality specialist services. 

“Specialisation should be treated as a core service-quality requirement, covering settlement-informed assessment, bilingual and bicultural engagement, interpreter access, English language support for employment, recognition of overseas skills and qualifications, culturally capable employer engagement, and post-placement support,” Mr Harper said. 

SSI’s submission points to its own Inclusive Employment Australia (IEA) program as evidence of how specialist employment expertise can be combined with settlement knowledge and cultural capability to respond to intersecting barriers to work and connect people to meaningful employment. 

Since November 2025, SSI has delivered specialist IEA services across 39 locations in NSW, Queensland and Victoria, supporting more than 2,500 refugees living with disability, injury or health conditions. It is one of only two IEA refugee-specialist providers nationally. 

“By building on what we know works in specialist employment programs, we can design a system that better harnesses people’s skills and experience, gives employers access to a broader talent pool, and helps refugee and migrant jobseekers build meaningful careers,” Mr Harper said. 

Read SSI’s full submission: Shaping the future of Employment Services 

Australia needs systemic change across government and institutions to strengthen social cohesion at this critical moment, national non-profit SSI told the Royal Commission into Antisemitism and Social Cohesion in Australia yesterday. 

SSI CEO Violet Roumeliotis and General Manager of Newcomers, Settlement and Integration Yamamah Agha gave evidence outlining a five-point plan to rebuild social cohesion and address the systems that allow racism and exclusion to persist. 

Ms Roumeliotis told the Royal Commission that social cohesion should be understood as the outcome of a deeper goal: collective belonging. 

“We tend to think about it as collective belonging, whether people feel recognised as part of Australia’s national story and feel they have an equal stake in our future. For SSI, it’s not simply whether different communities peacefully coexist, it’s whether people can participate fully in our economic, social, civic and cultural life. 

“The reality is that social cohesion is largely invisible when it is working and catastrophic when it fails. Like infrastructure, it requires investment, engineering and constant maintenance. When we neglect the upkeep, we should not be surprised when cracks appear,” she said.  

“If we address inequity and racism, then Australian communities will flourish and social cohesion will be bolstered.” 

SSI welcomed the Commissioner’s interest in its recommendations across five reform areas put forward in its submission to the Royal Commission earlier this year, calling for 

• National leadership that embeds social cohesion as core business across every layer of government 
• Local listening roundtables with diaspora, faith and community groups, modelled on the approach New Zealand took after the 2019 Christchurch massacre
• A national advisory council giving faith and diaspora leaders a direct line to the Prime Minister 
• Stronger anti-racism education in schools and action to prevent racism in workplaces 
• Guaranteed support for all communities facing elevated risk to their safety and wellbeing 

SSI is also urging the federal government to fully implement the Multicultural Framework Review and National Anti-Racism Framework, both developed through extensive consultation with communities across the country. 

Ms Roumeliotis said social cohesion cannot be built through crisis response alone. Australia needs sustained action to tackle the underlying drivers of racism and division, rather than simply responding after incidents occur. 

“Implementing the national anti-racism and multicultural frameworks would move us towards a more prevention focused approach, strengthening the institutions, relationships and opportunities that help people feel that they belong, are safe, included and that they have an equal stake in Australia’s future,” she said. 

SSI’s appearance at the Royal Commission follows the Think Social Cohesion Summit, hosted by SSI, SydWest Multicultural Services and the Settlement Council of Australia last month, which brought together 160 leaders from government, community, civil society and academia to develop a shared agenda for strengthening social cohesion. A roadmap based on the summit’s findings is currently being developed. 

As the Royal Commission formulates its findings and recommendations, SSI will continue working with settlement services, the community sector and government to advocate for reforms, partnerships and initiatives that address all forms of hate and strengthen belonging, safety and inclusion of all Australians. 

Read SSI’s full submission to the Royal Commission here.

The first of its kind in Australia, the Women’s Employment and Skills Pathways (WESP) aims to unlock the full potential of migrant women by supporting individual employment journeys, while also addressing significant workforce shortages across a range of industries and boost Australia’s productivity. 

Operating out of Logan, Queensland and offering online support, the program’s initial piloting has already supported over 130 participants from over 40 countries of origin and based in QLD, NSW, VIC, SA, WA, ACT and NT. They include women with qualifications in healthcare, social work, engineering, teaching, law, commerce and hospitality, among others. 

WESP is run by national non-profit SSI and funded for three years by the Minderoo Foundation as part of their commitment to gender equality in Australia. 

Treasurer Hon Dr Jim Chalmers MP will officially launch the program at SSI’s Logan Hub on Wednesday 26 August, with other speakers including SSI CEO Violet Roumeliotis AM, Minderoo Foundation’s CEO John Hartman, and program participants. 

WESP is aligned with the objectives of the Activate Australia’s Skills campaign, led by SSI and supported by over 130 partner organisations, and is informed by the campaign’s recent report Activate Her Skills: Harnessing the economic potential of migrant women through skills recognition. 

The report found that more than 340,000 migrant women are working below their skill and qualification levels, driven in part by Australia’s complex and confusing skills recognition system and a lack of tailored support to help women navigate it. 

Violet Roumeliotis AM, SSI CEO 

“Australia cannot afford to leave talent on the sidelines. Every day, highly skilled migrant women are working below their qualifications or struggling to navigate complex recognition processes. This program is about unlocking their skills, strengthening their economic participation and helping address workforce shortages in sectors that urgently need talent.” 

John Hartman, Minderoo Foundation CEO 

“Every woman, regardless of her background, should have a fair opportunity to participate in the economy, realise the value of her skills and qualifications, and pursue her career ambitions.”  

“Too many migrant women face significant barriers to having their skills, qualifications and professional experience recognised here in Australia.   

“Minderoo Foundation is proud to support the Women’s Employment and Skills Pathways Program, which is helping remove those barriers and work towards a more equitable Australia where talent, not circumstance, determines opportunity.”  

Program participants: 

Smita is based in Victoria and a qualified lawyer from India. She initially migrated to New Zealand, where she completed the relevant skills recognition and accreditation processes before subsequently moving to Australia and completing the requirements to have her professional qualifications recognised here. Due to life circumstances, Smita was unable to pursue employment in her profession after arriving in Australia. Through WESP, she is now receiving tailored navigation and support to reconnect with her professional pathway and to work towards re-entering the legal profession. 

Klaudia is based in Queensland and a qualified biomedical engineer from Poland. She came to Australia through the Graduate Visa program and has since established her life here and proudly became an Australian citizen. She is currently being supported by WESP to navigate the professional recognition and accreditation process with Engineers Australia and to work towards re-establishing her career as a biomedical engineer.  

Diana is based in Victoria and a qualified social worker from Uganda. Despite her nine years of prior experience, she has not been able to secure employment in her field since arriving in Australia. Through WESP, she is receiving personalised navigation support to understand the recognition and employment pathways available to her and to work towards achieving her goal of practicing as a social worker.  

SSI General Manager of Children, Families and Disability Support Ben Fioramonte said the focus must now turn to implementation, particularly for children from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities who are around half as likely to access early intervention services as other children, despite often facing similar levels of need.

“The government has taken an important step forward in recognising that the success of Thriving Kids will depend on whether it reaches the children and families who are currently missing out,” Mr Fioramonte said.

“We encourage governments to ensure multicultural organisations are part of the delivery model, that CALD voices are included in decision-making, and that community feedback helps shape the ongoing evaluation of the initiative.”

SSI welcomed the government’s support for a commissioned service model to help ensure quality services are available across all Thriving Kids jurisdictions.

“Trusted multicultural, settlement and place-based organisations must be recognised as essential partners in delivering Thriving Kids, particularly in communities where children are least likely to access support,” Mr Fioramonte said.

“For many migrant and refugee families, these organisations are already the first place they turn to for advice and support. They help families navigate complex systems, build confidence and connect with the right services early.”

SSI also welcomed the government’s in principle support for inclusive co-design through the Thriving Kids Advisory Group and called for strong multicultural representation across governance and implementation arrangements.

Mr Fioramonte, who also chairs the National CALD Disability Reform Committee, said the committee could provide governments with valuable insights into service gaps, community awareness and emerging needs across the country.

“The Committee brings together services, peak bodies and community organisations working directly with culturally diverse communities across Australia,” he said.

“It is well placed to provide governments with practical feedback about where services are working, where gaps remain and what more is needed to ensure families can access support.”

SSI said community-led feedback should form part of the ongoing monitoring and evaluation of Thriving Kids.

“If Thriving Kids is going to succeed, governments need to understand not only where services are being delivered, but which communities are still missing out,” Mr Fioramonte said.

“Listening to the experiences of families and community organisations will be critical to ensuring the program delivers on its promise for every child.”

Migration is too important to be left to reactive policymaking or political point-scoring, according to the alliance, which represents industry, small business, social services and multicultural organisations.  

The proposed summit would bring together governments, business, unions, community and settlement organisations, researchers, economists and migration experts to develop a shared national vision that balances economic opportunity, workforce needs, regional development, social cohesion and community confidence. 

The summit would also provide a forum to seriously address legitimate community concerns about housing affordability, infrastructure and cost-of-living pressures through evidence and coordinated policy, rather than reactive debates narrowly focused on migration numbers. 

For decades, governments of all political persuasions have recognised well-managed migration as one of Australia’s greatest national strengths, supporting economic prosperity while helping build one of the world’s most successful multicultural societies. 

Now is the time to renew that consensus. 

The statement is endorsed by Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS), Council of Small Business Organisations of Australia (COSBOA), Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils of Australia (FECCA), Migration Institute of Australia, Minerals Council of Australia, Refugee Council of Australia (RCOA), Regional Australia Institute, Settlement Council of Australia (SCOA), Settlement Services International (SSI) and the Tech Council of Australia.

Dr Cassandra Goldie AO, CEO, Australian Council of Social Service 

“Our diverse, multicultural society is one of our greatest strengths. We need to strengthen support for people newly arrived, so that everyone gets a great start to live with dignity and safety in this country. A National Migration Summit would progress this vision.” 

Skye Cappuccio, CEO of the Council of Small Business Organisations Australia (COSBOA) 

“Skilled migration is essential to small business, particularly in regional and rural Australia where local labour shortages bite hardest. For a local café, a regional tradie or a rural health clinic, the right migration settings can be the difference between staying open and turning work away. 

Migration policy works best when it’s grounded in evidence — informed by data and by the real experience of businesses and communities. That’s how we build a program small businesses can plan and invest around, and importantly, trust to deliver. 

That’s why COSBOA supports the call for a National Migration Summit to create a migration strategy that strengthens our economy and keeps public confidence in the program strong.” 

Prerana Mehta, CEO, Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils of Australia 

“A skilled, productive workforce and a cohesive multicultural Australia are not separate objectives – they are the same. FECCA is calling on government to convene a National Migration Summit as a forum where the system can align economic and workforce planning with the settlement and cohesion settings that sustain it with evidence, consultation and a shared national interest at its centre.”

Peter van Vliet, CEO, Migration Institute of Australia 

“It is important to bring government, industry and the community together to develop a renewed, positive and agreed migration strategy both to benefit Australia and renew the social license for migration to Australia. The strategy should recognise the critical importance of targeted skilled migration and student migration to our economy as well as the social importance of other migration streams such as partner and humanitarian migration.” 

Tania Constable, CEO, Minerals Council of Australia  

“Australia’s mining industry needs skilled migration to grow and prosper. Skilled migration sustains economic growth, fills labour gaps and supports the sector’s role as a cultural and social anchor in regional communities. Co-designing the future of our skilled migration system is a positive way to consult broadly for a stronger future.” 

Adama Kamara, Co-CEO, Refugee Council of Australia 

“A National Migration Summit presents a vital opportunity to look holistically at how all migration streams meet Australia’s long-term needs. Genuine collaboration – bringing industry, civil society, and refugees directly into the decision-making process – is essential. Most importantly, when we design policy with key stakeholders, we create more effective, and more enduring outcomes for our entire nation.” 

Liz Ritchie, CEO of the Regional Australia Institute 

“Regional Australia continues to be overlooked in relation to the migration system. We live with a persistent challenge – a mismatch between labour demand and supply. The strong demand for regional labour is severely limited by the lack of available skilled workers. This results in an even tighter labour market than metro areas and when it’s difficult to fill vacancies, it’s equally difficult to realise the immense opportunities through regional investment and service delivery. If improving Australia’s productivity is the number one priority, it’s high time regional Australia was prioritised and not an afterthought.”

Maria Dimopoulos AM, CEO of the Settlement Council of Australia  

“Australia’s migration system is strongest when migration and settlement work hand in hand. A National Migration Summit reflects the confidence and political courage to tackle one of Australia’s most important policy challenges through evidence, collaboration and a shared long-term vision for the benefit of all Australians.” 

Violet Roumeliotis AM, CEO, Settlement Services International 

“Australia desperately needs a long-term, evidence-based plan for migration. A National Migration Summit would help us move beyond the politics, strengthen public confidence and focus on what kind of country we want to build together. Australians deserve better than an endless debate about how much migration should be cut. They deserve a plan for the future.” 

Lucinda Longcroft, Director of Policy and Government Affairs, Tech Council of Australia

“Australia’s technology sector has been built in significant part by people who chose to make their careers here. The Tech Council supports a National Migration Summit as a way to renew the consensus that well-managed migration is in Australia’s interest, and to plan for the long term.”

The $25.3 million in funding – part of an ongoing commitment from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade – will support life-saving assistance, skills development and disaster risk reduction initiatives for Rohingya communities in Cox’s Bazar, where more than one million refugees continue to live in challenging conditions amid declining global humanitarian funding. 

SSI CEO Violet Roumeliotis said the announcement reinforced the importance of sustained international engagement and long-term investment in refugee protection across the Asia-Pacific region. 

“I visited Cox’s Bazar myself earlier this year and it’s hard to put into words the immense challenges facing Rohingya refugees, but also the extraordinary resilience, leadership and strength within the community,” Ms Roumeliotis said. 

“We met women, young people and community leaders who are building opportunities for others despite living in circumstances that most of us can barely imagine. Australia’s continued support sends an important message that the Rohingya people have not been forgotten.” 

For more than a decade, SSI has supported refugee-led initiatives in the region through partnerships that recognise refugees not simply as recipients of assistance, but as leaders, advocates and agents of change.  

Most recently, SSI has supported the Asia-Pacific Refugee Rights Network’s work with Shanti Mohila, a Rohingya women’s network in Cox’s Bazar that is empowering survivors of sexual and gender-based violence through peer support, leadership development, literacy training, advocacy and community organising. 

“Community-led responses are often the most effective and resilient in times of crisis because they are grounded in trust, lived experience and local knowledge,” Ms Roumeliotis said. 

“Our experience in Cox’s Bazar confirmed what we have seen throughout our work across the region: when refugees are supported to lead, communities are stronger, solutions are more sustainable and outcomes are more meaningful.” 

SSI said the announcement should also serve as a reminder that humanitarian assistance alone is not enough. Sustained regional cooperation, refugee participation and long-term solutions remain essential. 

“We commend the Australian government for showing leadership and stepping up its response to the largest displacement crisis in our Asia-Pacific region.” Ms Roumeliotis said. 

“Australia has an opportunity to continue demonstrating leadership by expanding safe and accessible pathways for refugees, including resettlement, education, labour mobility, family reunion and community sponsorship pathways in addition to our existing refugee intake, ensuring that stateless and undocumented refugees are not left behind.” 

SSI also renewed its call for stronger investment in refugee-led organisations and leadership pathways across the region. 

“Durable solutions are most effective when they are shaped by refugees themselves. Governments, donors and international partners should invest directly in refugee leadership, community capacity and refugee-led organisations, not only in service delivery,” Ms Roumeliotis said. 

“No single country can address displacement challenges alone. The future requires collective action, regional collaboration and genuine partnership between governments, civil society, international agencies and refugee communities.”