Community Support Program (CSP)

APOs are responsible for the following: 

• lodging visa applications
• linking employers to prospective humanitarian applicants
• ensuring the provision and management of settlement services to humanitarian applicants following their arrival in Australia
• assisting entrants to become financially independent within the first 12 months of arrival
• ensuring documentation for the assurance of support is lodged when requested and assurer applicants are aware of their responsibilities and obligation
• sourcing suitable, appropriate and relevant employment opportunities from reputable employers or community organisations.

Applicants must: 

• be outside of their home country (no in-country applicants)
• be aged between 18 and 50
• have faced substantial discrimination
• have functional English language skills
• have the support of an APO
• have an offer of employment and/or skills and attributes that will enable them to be work-ready upon arrival in Australia
• be residing in a resettlement priority country.
• not be proposed by or on behalf of an irregular maritime arrival who arrived on or after 13 August 2012

Proposers must: 

• be an eligible sponsor – an Australian citizen or a permanent resident of Australia
• have evidence that they can cover all costs and pay up front, including for:
  – visa application charges
  – airfares
  – medical screenings
  – APO fees
• be able to assist the applicant to gain relevant training and employment
• be able to provide Assurance of Support and
• Provide settlement support.

Under CSP, the Department of Home Affairs requires each visa application to have an Assurance of Support. An Assurance of Support is a legal and unconditional commitment by an Australian Supporter (the sponsor) to financially support a migrating individual or family (the applicant(s)), and if necessary, repay any recoverable Centrelink payments that may be paid to the applicant during their first 12 months in Australia.

Important information about Assurance of Support (AoS) 

• Assurance of Support can be provided by an individual or organisation. 
• An individual assurer must be:
  • at least 18 years of age;
  • an Australian citizen, the holder of an Australian permanent visa or an eligible New Zealand citizen;
  • able to provide proof of income at or above the income test threshold for the current and previous financial year. 

• Under the CSP stream an individual assurer can:
  – provide an Assurance of Support of up to 4 adults plus any dependent children under 18 years of age;
  • if there are more than 4 adults in the visa application, another person will need to give a separate Assurance of Support.
  • can give a joint Assurance of Support with up to 3 other people. This means that you and your family may be able to give Assurance of Support.
• An organisational assurer can provide an AoS of up to 15 adults plus any dependent children under 18 years of age. 

For more information on AoS for CSP applicants please refer to https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/assurance  

• All fees include GST 
• Payments for Stage A and B are NON-REFUNDABLE
• Payment for Stage C and D will ONLY be expected upon advice of successful visa outcome from Department of Home Affairs (DHA)
• Assurance of support is a mandatory requirement for this visa

NOTE: Airfares, medical checks, and any additional costs to be paid by Sponsor.

An applicant is a person who is applying for a Class XB visa and is proposed for entry to Australia by an APO. Community Support Program (CSP) applicants must align with the regional, global and settlement priorities of the Australian Government and be able to satisfy all Class XB (subclass 202) visa criteria. For more information, visit the Australian Government Department of Home Affairs’ website. See  https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/global-special-humanitarian-202

A legal agreement between the assurer and the Department of Human Services where the assurer is responsible for repaying any recoverable social security payments made to the applicant during the assurance period. The Assurance of Support period covers the first 12 months after the applicant’s arrival in Australia.

The individual or organisation who is willing and financially capable to provide an Assurance of Support and is assessed by the Department of Human Services as meeting the eligibility requirements to provide an Assurance of Support for the applicant/s.

Individuals and/or organisations in Australia who provide financial and practical support for the applicant during the visa application process and after the applicant’s arrival in Australia following the successful outcome of their visa application. Australian supporters include, but are not limited to, family, friends, employers and community groups.

Dependent is defined in reg 1.05A of the Migration Regulations. A person is considered to be dependent on another person if they are, and have been for a substantial period generally 12 months immediately before that time, wholly or substantially reliant on the other person for financial support to meet their basic needs for food, clothing and shelter.
A person is considered dependent if they are wholly, substantially reliant on another person for financial, psychological or physical support.

The person that the Australian supporter (e.g. individual, organisation, employer, business or community group) wishes to have proposed through an approved proposing organisation (APO).

Any person who, on or after 13 August 2012, (1) entered Australia by sea, and (2) the person became an unlawful non-citizen because of that entry and (3) the person is not an excluded maritime arrival.

Australian supporters must agree to the terms and conditions before submitting an Expression of Interest (EOI). Please ensure the potential visa applicant understands and accepts these terms before clicking AGREE.

These conditions apply to any of the processes or services undertaken or provided by an APO. Australian supporters agree that by submitting this EOI and by continuing to engage with an APO, they have deemed to have accepted these terms and conditions, which may be varied from time to time by the Department of Home Affairs.

1. An EOI will only be accepted where the Australian Supporter has completed the declaration prior to the submission (near the end of the EOI form).
2. All questions must be answered.
3. No third party EOIs will be accepted (e.g. applications completed by migration agents).
4. APOs do not guarantee, warrant or represent that the submission of an EOI or the collection of additional information is indicative of your inclusion in the Community Support Program.
   5a. Pending the outcome of an EOI, financial and character assessments will be undertaken to further assess your suitability for the CSP and your capacity to enter into the Assurance of Support agreement.
   5b. The employability of the applicant/s and your capacity to find employment for the applicant and ability to engage with the APO to facilitate the same will also be assessed.
5. Any personal information or material contained in your EOI is subject to AMRC’s Privacy Policy. The respective Privacy Policy forms part of these terms and conditions.
6. EOIs will only be accepted where the Australian sponsor/ supporter has completed the EOI online form and made the online EOI payment of $280 (at end of the EOI form). The $280 EOI fee is non-refundable, regardless of the outcome of your EOI.
7. All fees paid to the AMRC and the Department of Home Affairs up to the time of the refusal of the visa application will not be refunded. 

For the AMRC to consider your EOI, you must:

• meet the eligibility requirements for CSP
• be a resident of South Australia – AMRC is NOT accepting Expressions of Interest from INTERSTATE proposers.
• meet financial requirements for sponsorship (this includes visa application charges, APO fees and Assurance of Support)
• answer all EOI questions honestly. Where misleading information is provided, the EOI will be rejected.
  NOTE: Providing misleading information at any stage of the process will result in disqualification from the CSP process, and any fees paid may not be refunded.
• have one clear sponsor, who will be responsible throughout the process. Changing sponsors at any stage of the CSP process will result in disqualification from the process and any fees paid may not be refunded.
• provide
  – proof of residence status (e.g. Australian Passport, Citizenship Certificate, or Visa),
  – a valid driver’s licence, and
  – Notice of Assessment for the two most recent financial years.
• settle the applicant(s) in South Australia for their first 12 months in Australia. If, after applicants’ arrival in Australia, the sponsor chooses to settle the applicant(s) interstate, the bond money will not be refunded.
• cooperate and communicate with AMRC throughout the application and settlement process.

EOIs are valid for a maximum of 6 months from the date of lodgement. If an EOI becomes invalid, the sponsor will need to lodge a new EOI, if he/she still wishes to be considered for the program.