Settlement Services International (SSI) supports humanitarian entrants after their arrival in Australia. SSI and its staff do not resettle refugees residing outside of Australia and do not charge or take money for doing so.
If you are outside Australia and have experienced past persecution or have a well-founded fear of future persecution in your home country, you may be able to apply for refugee status, allowing you to come to Australia. People who are outside Australia can apply to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in their locality.
The majority of people who are provided protection by Australia are processed through its Humanitarian Program. The offshore program processes people who have been given refugee status by the UNHCR and people who have been sponsored by Australian citizens or permanent residents or Australian-based community organisations.
Beware of scams and resettlement fraud
All resettlement services by UNHCR and the International Organisation of Migration are free. It is fraud if anyone asks to be paid for these services or if they ask for a favour for these services.
In Australia, only certain people can provide immigration assistance: a registered migration agent, a legal practitioner or an exempt person.
Only a registered migration agent or legal practitioner may charge applicants a fee for their help. It is unlawful to charge a fee if you are an exempt person or otherwise outside the categories of registered migration agent and legal practitioner.
Find out more about resettlement fraud here.
Complain about scams here.