The Community Support Programme (CSP) enables communities, businesses, families and individuals to collaborate in sponsoring persons to arrive in Australia, integrate and achieve financial independence.

IOM, as an Approved Proposing Organisation (APO), can propose eligible persons to apply for a Subclass 202 Global Special Humanitarian Visa under the Community Support Programme and upon the grant of the visa, help them to travel to Australia, to settle and to achieve financial independence. IOM works with the Australian supporters, and employers during the application stage and post-arrival stage. The Australian supporters can be relatives, community organisations, businesses or registered charities who assist the applicant(s) to gain self-sufficiency and finance the costs relating to the service.

What are the eligibility criteria for an applicant?

If you are an applicant who wishes to apply for CSP, or a family member, business or registered charity who wishes to sponsor an applicant, please check whether the primary applicant satisfies the following eligibility criteria:

• Demonstrate the applicant’s capacity to satisfy all Class XB Subclass 202 Global Special Humanitarian Visa criteria (living outside the applicant’s home country and subject to substantial discrimination amounting to gross violation of his/her human rights in the home country).
• Be between 18 and 50 years of age at the time of lodgement.
• Have an offer of employment (or a pathway that leads to employment).
• Have adequate English and demonstrate this at a visa interview.
• Personal attributes that would enable them to become financially self-sufficient within 12 months of arrival.

An applicant who has already sourced an organisation or an individual to act as the Australian supporter can submit a preliminary assessment to IOM. If the assessment is positive, IOM will invite the applicant to provide an Expression of Interest (EOI).

How can IOM help?

As an APO, IOM assists applicants from the assessment stage until an applicant becomes financially independent in twelve months from arrival. The process map sets out the work carried out by IOM at each stage. IOM can assist eligible applicants and their Australian supporters in the following ways:

• Assess the Australian supporters, employers and the applicants through an Expression of Interest.
• Draft a visa application based on information provided by the applicant after meeting/communicating with all parties to the application.
• Finalise and lodge a visa application, liaise with IOM missions in the country where the CSP entrant resides on a needs basis, follow up and communicate the outcome.
• Coordinate with IOM missions in the country where the CSP participant resides to arrange health assessment, departure formalities, domestic and international transportation, pre-embarkation orientation, and assistance en route.
• Monitor the progress of each CSP entrant throughout their settlement journey and conduct interviews at the 6 and 12 month mark after arrival. Monitoring also includes an orientation session where IOM provides comprehensive information on the different settlement outcomes:  housing, physical and mental well-being, money management, community participation and networking, transport, family functioning and social support, justice, language services, education and training, and employment. 

When assessing applications, IOM will assist you with IOM's registered migration agents and it is not necessary for you to go through any external migration agents. 

What is the role of the Australian supporter?

Australian supporter(s) could be relatives, community organisations, businesses or registered charities who enter into an arrangement with IOM to support the applicants and usually finance the costs relating to the service. They would provide support in following ways:

• introducing clients to IOM
• setting up employment pathways for applicant
• paying costs relating to the services provided
• providing an Assurance of Support (AoS)

An applicant may need one or more Australian supporters depending on the size of the applicant’s family. An eligible Assurance of Support provider can assist up to four adult applicants. If you/your organisation has identified an applicant to support through CSP, please complete the free initial assessment form and submit it to IOM. IOM will invite you to submit an Expression of Interest if the initial assessment is positive.

If you/your organisation wish to act as an Australian supporter for an applicant, please submit a preliminary assessment form to IOM to commence the process. If the assessment is positive, IOM will invite the applicant to provide an Expression of Interest. If you wish to be involved in this programme, however, do not have a particular applicant identified, please contact us to discuss how you could get involved.

How can an employer get involved in the CSP?

IOM and the Australian supporters will reach out to employers who are able to provide assistance to applicants with sustainable employment to create a pathway to financial independence in 12 months. Employers can also act as Australian supporters by introducing clients to IOM. If your organisation has identified an applicant to support through CSP, please complete the preliminary assessment form and submit it to IOM. IOM will invite you to submit an Expression of Interest if the initial assessment is positive. If you wish to wish to be involved in this programme, however, and do not have a particular applicant identified, please contact us to discuss how you could get involved.  

What does the process cost?

The cost of the process varies depending on the family size, location of the applicant, medical conditions and location of settlement. The Department of Home Affairs Visa Application Charge for CSP is comprised of two parts: AUD 550 per application is required at the time of application, and an additional AUD 7,270 is required before the visa is granted.

IOM’s service fees are AUD 10,200 for the primary applicant and AUD 2,550 for each additional applicant. The fees cover the costs of assessing the case, lodging a visa through a registered migration agent, assisting and monitoring the first twelve months of settlement in Australia.

A schedule of possible costs can be found on the process map.

To begin the process, please complete the Preliminary Assessment Form Click here.