Refugees and humanitarian entrants bring significant skills, resilience, and drive to Australia — yet many face substantial barriers to employment that can leave them dependent on welfare for years. Government and philanthropic investment in refugee employment addresses language barriers, skills recognition, discrimination, and the structural gaps in mainstream employment services that limit economic participation.
The employment gap
What prevents employment
Humanitarian Settlement Programme (HSP)
HSP providers are contractually required to support employment readiness — job search skills, resume development, referral to employment services — as part of the initial settlement programme.
Workforce Australia
The mainstream employment services system includes refugees and humanitarian entrants — connecting them with employment providers who offer job coaching, placement, and wage subsidies.
Adult Migrant English Programme (AMEP)
English language tuition is foundational to employment — AMEP provides up to 510 hours of free English tuition.
Skills Recognition
For refugees with professional qualifications:
- Department of Home Affairs funds some skills assessment costs for humanitarian entrants
- State-based skills recognition assistance programmes
- Bridging programmes for qualified professionals (nursing, teaching, engineering)
Community Development Programme (CDP)
For remote Indigenous communities — not specifically for refugees, but illustrates the work-for-the-dole type approach in some contexts.
Business Council of Australia — Refugee Employment Pledge
The BCA has led initiatives to increase employer commitments to refugee employment — corporate pledge programmes with participating employers.
Australian Business Community Network (ABCN)
ABCN connects refugee youth with business mentors — building professional networks and employment connections.
Settlement Council of Australia
Peak body for settlement services — advocacy for better employment pathways and some funding for sector development.
Welcoming Australia
The Welcoming Australia network builds community and employer welcome for refugees — including employment programmes.
Refugee Employment Support Programme (RESP)
Some states fund dedicated refugee employment support — intensive coaching, employer connections, job placements.
Corporate philanthropy
Multiple large Australian employers have refugee employment programmes:
- Westpac, NAB, Commonwealth Bank — banking sector refugee employment
- IKEA, Mecca, other retailers — refugee employment programmes
- Professional services firms (PwC, Deloitte) — employment and pro bono support
Social enterprises provide employment training and experience:
Thankyou Payroll
Payroll processing social enterprise employing refugees in Australia.
Social Enterprise Networks
CERES, Fern Street Organics, and other social enterprises have created employment pathways for refugees.
Catering and hospitality social enterprises
Many refugee employment social enterprises focus on food and hospitality — cultural food as economic empowerment.
Cleaning and labour hire
Supported employment through cleaning contracts, labour hire, and construction support.
English language and employment combined
Programmes that integrate English language learning with employment preparation are more effective than sequential approaches.
Employer engagement
The most successful programmes have strong employer networks — specific jobs available at the end of the pathway, not generic job search training.
Skills recognition
For refugees with professional backgrounds, helping navigate Australian recognition processes enables employment at a level matching qualifications.
Cultural mentoring
Understanding Australian workplace culture — communication norms, hierarchy, performance expectations — alongside skills development.
Ongoing support in employment
Support doesn't end at job placement — ongoing support through early employment (first 6-12 months) significantly improves retention.
Women-specific programmes
Women face different barriers — childcare, cultural factors, family expectations. Gender-responsive programme design is critical.
Trauma-informed approach
Many refugees have experienced significant trauma. Trauma-informed employment coaching — recognising that performance and behaviour may be shaped by unresolved trauma — improves outcomes.
Employer partnerships
Applications with specific employer commitments — named employers who will take placements — are stronger than programmes hoping to place people into an undefined job market.
Data on outcomes
Employment placement rate, wage rate, and job retention rate at 6 and 12 months are the key outcomes. Show track record if you have it, or use comparable programme data.
Cultural competence
Demonstrate workforce that speaks relevant community languages, understands cultural context, and has genuine community trust.
Referral network
Refugee employment doesn't happen in isolation — show your connections to settlement services, AMEP providers, mental health services, and childcare.
Addressing systemic barriers
Strong applications address structural barriers — employer discrimination, qualification recognition, childcare — not just coaching individuals.
Tahua's grants management platform supports refugee employment organisations and settlement funders — with participant outcome tracking, employment placement data, programme milestone management, and the tools that help employment service providers demonstrate impact and manage complex multi-funder portfolios.