Report finds recognising refugees’ and migrants’ skills would boost economy.

An uplift in Australia’s refugee intake announced today is a welcome step forward that will support some of the world’s most vulnerable individuals and families, according to one of Australia’s largest refugee resettlement providers.

“It wasn’t easy to get a job. After all this experience I had in my country – 15 years – I had to start from scratch.” Read Full Story “I have dedicated almost 20 years of my life to my profession – I cannot leave it behind. I dream of working again as a dentist, […]

One of Australia’s largest refugee resettlement providers has called for urgent action to lift Australia’s humanitarian intake, as new research shows the number of people experiencing forced displacement increased at a record-breaking rate in 2022.

When Iranian-born Mary Logan sought refuge in Australia, she hoped to continue her work in hair and beauty. However, her overseas experience and qualifications were not recognised, forcing the salon owner and manager to begin again as an apprentice.

Newly arrived refugees in Australia have been resilient in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to new research launched this week by Settlement Services International and Western Sydney University.

Reports on a third phase of research carried out with new refugees.

Dates allocated to celebrate particular causes and communities can sometimes risk ending in token celebrations that are quickly forgotten as we prepare for the next occasion. In Australia, we’ve always endeavoured to ensure that Refugee Week in June is about more than just ‘food, festivals and fashion’, but this year brought a whole new challenge thanks to COVID-19.

SSI Arts & Culture have collaborated with PYT Fairfield to present a special work-in-progress showing of ‘Carpet Stories,’ a multidisciplinary theatre performance that facilitates creative conversations within Sydney’s multicultural LGBTIQ community.

Eighty-two signatories have endorsed an open pledge to support an affordable, inclusive community refugee sponsorship program in Australia, launched by SSI and 65 other community groups prior to the first-ever Global Refugee Forum (GRF), hosted by UNHCR in Geneva in December 2019.

Growing up as a member of the Greek diaspora, I saw a lot of people who were not able to realise their dreams due to barriers outside of their control. 

Settlement Services International joins refugee and human rights advocates, football associations and concerned citizens around the world in calling for Thai authorities to immediately release Bahraini refugee Hakeem Ali al-Araibi and allow him to return to Australia.

During Refugee Week we recognise the contribution of refugees around the world and address the current living situation of thousands of displaced human beings around the world.

Samira Maksoud is a Syrian refugee who has been in Australia less than six months. But that hasn’t stopped her from finding a part-time job and enrolling to study in two tertiary qualifications.

Settlement Services International (SSI) will provide settlement services to refugees and humanitarian entrants under the new Humanitarian Settlement Program (HSP), continuing its long-term work in this area. In Canberra today, the Australian Government announced SSI was successful in two of the 11 newly defined contract regions across Australia: Sydney and NSW Regional, which covers northern NSW.

Twenty four refugees have secured employment in the past six months with the support of Settlement Services International’s Humanitarian Settlement Services program.

More than 100 NSW settlement service providers came together for a one-day forum in March to discuss major hurdles facing newly arrived refugees and ways to improve service delivery in the early stages of settlement.