Community Support Program

What is the Community Support Program?

The Community Support Program is for people who want to resettle in Australia and already have an individual or organisation (called a Supporter) in Australia, that can apply for the program on their behalf and support them through the migration and settlement journey.

If you are in humanitarian need, meet the eligibility requirements for a Humanitarian Visa, and have a Supporter in Australia who can offer you job prospects, the Community Support Program may be able to assist with your resettlement.

As of 8 July 2025, the Community Support Program (CSP)’s Expression of Interest is currently closed until further notice.

How do we help?

Spectrum is approved by the Australian Government’s Department of Home Affairs to provide the Community Support Program. Through this program, we offer migration assistance and settlement services, helping people to be able to support themselves financially within the first 12 months of their arrival in Australia.

Our support for new arrivals through the Community Support Program includes:

Helping you with the migration and visa application process
English language assessments
Helping you prepare for work and having your skills and qualifications recognised
Assisting you with your job search and work placements
Helping you to become financially independent and support yourself in Australia
Programs to learn about Australian culture and how to become a part of your new community
Helping you find secure housing
Programs and special services for families or community groups

Who can apply?

To be eligible to apply for Spectrum’s Community Support Program, the applicant needs to fit these criteria:

Can meet all requirements to be granted a Global Special Humanitarian (subclass 202) visa
From a priority resettlement cohort – this means a group of people that the Australian Government’s Department of Home Affairs has determined to be at a high level of humanitarian risk
Aged between 18 and 50 years
Have an offer of a job (or a pathway that leads to employment) from a Supporter already residing in Australia

The applicant will need a Supporter to apply for the CSP. Supporters can be individuals, community organisations, families, or businesses based in Australia. They must be willing to:

Apply for the program on your behalf
Cover the costs of your visa applications and settlement expenses
Complete an Expression of Interest (EOI) form below

Why choose Spectrum?

We listen.

Our staff listen carefully, respectfully, and with empathy. This helps us to understand the things that are important to you, when services might need to change and when they need to stay the same.

We speak your language.

We’ve been providing services to people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds for nearly 45 years. Our staff represent more than 50 cultures and nationalities, and we speak 35 community languages. So you can feel at home, knowing that there’s always someone who can truly understand you.

We have lived experience.

All of our work is informed by the lived experience of our communities, as well as our staff – many of whom have themselves been migrants or refugees. We are committed to ensuring that you receive the services you need from someone who understands and respects you, your values, culture, traditions and concerns.

“Your guidance has been invaluable to me throughout this process. I sincerely appreciate all your efforts to help us. With your expertise, we are in the best hands to bring my family to Australia”

Eyoel, Migration client

Application process

1 – Expression of Interest

Initial screening for eligibility is completed by the Applicant’s Supporter, lodging an Expression of Interest on their behalf.

Investment: 
$275 AUD (includes GST)

2 – Assessment of Applicant & Supporter

In this second phase we will screen both the Applicant and the Supporter to ensure that both of you meet the criteria set out by the Department of Home Affairs.

This includes as assessment of:

The humanitarian claim of the Applicant;
The employment prospects of the Applicant; and
The financial capacity of the Supporter.

Investment 
$4,400 AUD (includes GST)

Additional charges may apply, as follows: 
Assessment of Applicant’s skills, qualifications and experience by VETASSESS to see if they meet Australian industry standards

3 – Migration Assistance & Integration Plan

In the third phase, we offer migration advice and support through an experienced, registered migration agent to prepare and lodge the visa application.

We will work with you to develop an individualised settlement and employment plan for the Applicant.

Investment
$5,500 AUD (includes GST)

Additional charges apply, as follows: 
Government Visa Lodgement and Processing Fees

More information about visa costs can be found at Community Support program

4 – Travel

We will assist you with your travel requirements including booking flights, organising exit permits and greeting you at the airport.

Investment
$1,100 AUD (includes GST)

Additional charges apply, as follows: 
Air travel and transit accommodation costs

5 – Settlement & Employment Services

We will help you to settle in Australia by providing individualised support that includes all the necessary registrations, an orientation to your local neighbourhood, an introduction to local organisations and support to find accommodation.

This will include the development of an individual Case Management Plan for you and your family, informed by the Humanitarian Settlement Program guidelines, to ensure your individualised needs are understood and met.

We will support you to find and maintain employment. This will include education programs to introduce you to the Australian workplace and to ensure you understand your rights and obligations as an employee in Australia.

It will also include education about the Australian employment market, taxation, superannuation, etc. We will use our connections with training providers and employers and will work alongside you to enter the Australian workplace in a supported manner.

Settlement Support 
$6,325 AUD (includes GST) + $5,000 AUD refundable bond upon visa grant

Our stats this year

213

CSP applications lodged

154

people arrived

FAQs

If you match the eligibility criteria, and you have a Supporter in Australia who can offer you job prospects and financial support while you get settled here, the next step is for your Supporter to complete an Expression of Interest form below.

The Supporter, who is currently in Australia, needs to cover the cost of this service.

The time it takes for your applicant to be processed depends on how complex your case is. Generally, your visa application will be lodged with the Australian Government’s Department of Home Affairs within three months after you have sent us your Expression of Interest form (EOI). This timeframe can change if there are delays getting the information that you need to submit your application. Once the Department of Home Affairs has your visa application, it can take a few years to be approved. We will do everything we can during the application stage to help you, however, Australian Government is the only body who can control these processing times.

After you have sent us your Expression of Interest (EOI), a member of Spectrum’s Migration team will contact you within three business days to confirm your submission. After two weeks, we will be in contact to book your consultation appointment with one of our Migration specialists, which will take place around a month after you submit your EOI to us.

If you don’t meet the eligibility criteria for the Community Support Program (CSP), we recommend that you make an appointment to speak to a Spectrum migration specialist. We will be able to provide a Migration Analysis of your individual situation, and give you the best advice on what other migration pathways are possible for you.

Find out more

To find out more about Australia’s Community Support Program, visit the Department of Home Affairs website.

Please note that the Community Support Program is currently closed and not accepting applicants until further notice.

Click below to be taken to our Migration page, where we can offer other pathways and migration services to support you.