Getting a Refugee & Humanitarian visa through the Community Support Program (CSP)
You may have heard of Australia’s Community Support Program (CSP), which provides a pathway for asylum seekers and refugees to resettle in Australia as Australian permanent residents with the support of Australian individuals, businesses and community organisations. Many people mistakenly believe that this is a separate visa program or visa subclass to Australia’s Refugee and Humanitarian visas. Instead, the CSP operates under the Refugee and Humanitarian visa program, providing an alternative (albeit much more costly) pathway to the grant of a Refugee and Humanitarian (Subclass 202) visa - Global Special Humanitarian stream.
Recently, the Australian Government implemented regulatory changes to the CSP to strengthen its policy objective of resettling working-age humanitarian entrants who are likely to achieve financial self-sufficiency within 12 months of arrival.
Here is everything you need to know about obtaining a Refugee & Humanitarian visa through the Community Support Program (CSP).
What is the Community Support Program?
The Community Support Program (CSP) is an Australian Government program designed facilitate the resettlement of humanitarian entrants through community support, with the objective of integrating of “skilled” asylum seekers and refugees into Australian society and enabling them to achieve independence and productivity through community programs.
Under the CSP, Approved Proposing Organisations (APO) in Australia are able to identify suitable candidates, coordinate sponsorship arrangements and facilitate the settlement of a newly arrived refugee. Under these arrangements, an APO can propose the resettlement of an asylum seeker or refugee for a Refugee and Humanitarian (Subclass 202) visa, and each APO may have its own eligibility criteria for candidates they may be willing to support.
Eligible persons can access the CSP by first obtaining a proposal by an APO, and then lodging an application for a Subclass 202 visa with the Department of Home Affairs.
Upon the grant of the Subclass 202 visa, the relevant APO is required to provide 12 months of settlement support from the time of the Subclass 202 visa holder arrival’s in Australia.
What are the Approved Proposed Organisations (APO) in Australia?
As of the time this blog post was being prepared in June 2026, there are 11 APOs who work nationally and/or within specific states or territories in Australia.
Prior to the June 2026 legislative amendments to the CSP, the Australian Government had directed APOs to pause accepting Expressions of Interest (EOI) from new applicants, so each of the following APO’s programs are likely temporarily closed until further notice:
National
New South Wales
Queensland
South Australia
Victoria
What requirements do I need to meet?
Being proposed by an APO for a Refugee and Humanitarian (Subclass 202) visa under the CSP involves being assessed at multiple stages and by multiple parties, under various criteria.
Broadly, this involves being assessed by:
Firstly, an APO for potential proposal under the CSP; and
Secondly, the Department of Home Affairs for satisfaction of the legislative & regulatory criteria for the grant of a Subclass 202 visa.
Each APO will have its own set of eligibility criteria and assessment process following the submission of an initial Expression of Interest (EOI), and an APO may generally consider applicants who:
Are usually aged between 18 and 50 years.
Have humanitarian claims.
Are located offshore.
Have adequate English.
Have a job offer in Australia or a pathway to employment.
Are capable of financial independence within 12 months of arrival.
Willing to settle where employment and support are available, including regional Australia where required.
Applicants who are proposed by an APO will then be able to lodge a Subclass 202 visa application with the Department of Home Affairs, who would then assess the visa applicant against requirements such as (including but not limited to):
Whether the applicant is subject to substantial discrimination, amounting to gross violation of human rights, in the applicant’s home country and is living in a country other than the applicant’s home country.
Whether the applicant is barred from being proposed under the CSP (e.g. for reasons including that the applicant was an unlawful maritime arrival or entered Australia unlawfully, etc.).
Whether the applicant meets health and character requirements.
What are the costs under the CSP?
The Community Support Program (CSP) process is significantly more costly than a standard Subclass 202 visa application, due to the relevant Approved Proposing Organisation (APO) being required to provide substantial private and community support to a newly arrived Subclass 202 visa holder.
Firstly, costs will payable to the APO at multiple stages, including from the submission of an Expression of Interest (EOI) and throughout various stages of the assessment/interview/travel coordination process that each APO may undertake. This may vary across different APOs, and for reference:
ECWA’s Approved Proposing Organisation Fee has most recently been reported as around AUD17,000.
AMES Australia most recently reported its fees as being from around AUD9,175, and more where there a multiple visa applicants e.g. accompanying family members.
IOM Australia appears to charge around AUD15,000 for a single applicant.
Secondly, there will also be visa application charges payable to the Department of Home Affairs both at lodgement and prior to the grant of a Subclass 202 visa, presently as follows:
AUD570 at the time of application;
AUD7,270 prior to the grant of the visa.
Some APOs may request that funds for visa application charges be paid to them, so that they may then liaise with the Department of Home Affairs and pay the visa application charges on the applicant’s behalf.
As always, the APO’s fees and the Australian Government’s visa application charges are subject to change, and may increase at any time, including at the start of each new financial year.
Further fees may also be payable as part of the APO process and visa application process, including interpreter fees, DNA testing fees, biometric fees, health examination fees, etc.
What are the recent changes to the CSP?
Due to the Community Support Program’s targeted scope and the limited number of allocations under the Department of Home Affairs’ Humanitarian Program, the CSP has a very limited number of places available each year, and was found to be operating “over capacity”. As such, around July 2025, APOs were formally instructed to pause their intake process until further notice, so that the Department of Home Affairs could manage the backlog of existing Subclass 202 visa applications and allow the Australian Government to reassess the CSP.
Subsequently, the Migration Amendment (Realigning the Community Support Program) Regulations 2026 were registered on 16 June 2026, coming into effect on 1 July 2026. Under the new regulations:
The Australian Government will be able to specify the maximum number of persons each APO can propose each financial year.
A Subclass 202 visa application can only be lodged under the CSP pathway where the relevant Approved Proposing Organisation (APO) has not already proposed more than the maximum number of persons that they can propose in that financial year.
Subclass 202 visa applicants who were initially proposed by one APO can later be proposed by a different APO.
The Australian Government can specify Commonwealth priorities for the CSP.
The settlement of the Subclass 202 visa applicant must be consistent with the Commonwealth priorities for the CSP.
The practical changes to the CSP include:
A reduction in the number of Subclass 202 visa applications that can be made in the CSP pathway each financial year (c.f. APOs being able to propose an unlimited number of persons for a Subclass 202) visas).
Subclass 202 visa applicants who have already lodged their Subclass 202 visa application, and were initially proposed by an APO who is no longer able to continue proposing them due to the new cap on proposals each financial year, can now “switch” APOs and obtain proposal by a new APO before a decision is made on their Subclass 202 visa application.
The Australian Government will now be able to set specific Commonwealth priorities for the CSP, e.g. an applicant’s employment experience or English language level skill, such that a Subclass 202 visa application which is not consistent with those priorities may be refused.
I am interested in applying for a Subclass 202 visa under the CSP. Where do I start?
With the new Community Support Program (CSP) regulations coming into effect on 1 July 2026, each of the Approved Proposing Organisations (APO) may soon be reopening their programs to accept new Expressions of Interest (EOI) from potential candidates.
Interested persons should monitor each APO’s website and stay up to date about the status of their CSP programs, as well as review their eligibility criteria at the relevant juncture.
To ensure competitiveness and alignment with APO eligibility criteria and potential Commonwealth priorities for the CSP, we encourage interested persons to begin gathering evidence of their skills, work experience, qualifications and English language proficiency level.
How we can help
At Inclusive Migration, our immigration lawyers have extensive experience with helping you navigate complex immigration matters in a compassionate and empathetic manner. Our expertise extends beyond Refugee and Humanitarian visa applications, such that we are able to assess your eligibility for other visas, and accordingly provide you with upfront and pragmatic advice to serve your best interests.
Should you wish to discuss your eligibility for a Refugee and Humanitarian visa or explore your eligibility for other visas in Australia, please email info@inclusivemigration.com.au,submit an enquiry using the contact form on our website or send a WhatsApp message to +61 490 704 775. Our immigration lawyers would be happy to meet with you assess your eligibility for migration options in Australia.
